To my surprise a pelican is mentioned in the bible a few times. The one that stands out for me today is in Psalm 102:6 when the psalmist, in his distress, likens himself to a pelican. To my surprise, I have also learnt today that the pelican was believed to pierce its own breast with its beak and feed its young of its blood. It became a symbol of Christ sacrificing himself for man.
This may seem gruesome but Christ did indeed willingly suffer a gruesome death for us. He gave His life in exchange for each and every one of us, if we so wish to choose to accept the abundant life he has for us. (John 10:10)