Pelicans

The pelican (Hebrew qa'ath) appears in the Old Testament in lists of unclean birds (Leviticus 11:18; Deuteronomy 14:17) and in prophetic passages where desolate ruins are inhabited by lonely birds. Psalm 102:6 presents the most memorable image: I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert — depicting extreme solitude and desolation in a context of suffering and prayer. The large, ungainly pelican in an arid setting was an arresting image of utter abandonment.

Zephaniah 2:14 and Isaiah 34:11 both describe the pelican (qa'ath) inhabiting the ruins of once-proud cities — Nineveh and Edom respectively — as an emblem of divine judgment. These large waterbirds, common at the Sea of Galilee and the waters of Merom in ancient Israel, would have been familiar to biblical readers. The precise species behind qa'ath is debated; the pelican is the traditional identification, though some modern translators prefer owl or desert owl.