There is a corner of central London where pelicans drift across a lake, completely ignoring the office workers eating lunch on the banks. It has been like this since 1664. Charles II had just been restored to the throne, and a Russian diplomat arrived at court with a gift the king had not anticipated: three white pelicans.
They were placed in St James’s Park. And pelicans have lived there ever since.
St James’s Park sits between Buckingham Palace and Whitehall. It is the oldest of London’s eight Royal Parks. It has been royal land since Henry VIII enclosed it in 1532. And yet most visitors to London walk through it on the way to Buckingham Palace without stopping to wonder what they are actually standing in.
A Royal Park With an Unlikely History
Henry VIII claimed St James’s Park in 1532 and drained the marshland to create hunting grounds. What is now a tranquil park full of ducks and geese was once used for deer hunting and archery. Tudor London was not subtle.
James I added a menagerie. Camels, crocodiles, an elephant, and a collection of exotic birds were all kept on land that is now five minutes’ walk from Downing Street. The park was genuinely strange by modern standards — a private royal zoo at the heart of government.
Charles II opened the park to the public after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. He loved animals and walked through the park most mornings, often feeding the ducks himself. He was, by most accounts, a far more approachable monarch than his predecessors, and the park reflects that — it has always had a quality of being open, even when surrounded by palaces.
It was into this setting that the Russian Ambassador’s pelicans arrived.
The Gift That Started a 360-Year Tradition
In 1664, the Russian Ambassador presented Charles II with three Dalmatian pelicans from the steppes of Russia. They were remarkable birds — rare, striking, and clearly intended to impress. Charles was delighted. He had a pelican enclosure built near the lake, and the birds became a fixture of the park.
When those original pelicans died, they were replaced. When their replacements died, they too were replaced. This continued without interruption for the next 360 years.
Today there are six pelicans in St James’s Park. They have names: Gargi, Oleg, Stepan, Ptolemy, Isla, and Tónka. Each afternoon, around 2:30pm, a keeper brings them fish — usually whole mackerel or capelin — near the eastern end of the lake. Crowds gather. The pelicans eat unhurriedly, completely unbothered by the attention.
If you have ever wondered why there are pelicans in central London, now you know: a diplomatic gift, a king who loved animals, and a tradition that was never allowed to die.
The View That Fooled Everyone
Stand on the bridge in the middle of St James’s Park and look west, towards Whitehall. What you see should not make sense.
A shimmering lake. Trees leaning in from both sides. And through the gap, in the distance, what appears to be a fairy tale palace — towers and turrets rising above the treeline against the sky.
That is not a palace. It is the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office — a Victorian government building that happens, from this precise angle and distance, to look like something from a children’s book.
John Nash, who redesigned the park for George IV in the 1820s, engineered this deliberately. He curved the lake, positioned the bridge, and planted the trees so the view would work like theatre. It is a trick of scale and perspective, built directly into the landscape.
It remains one of the most photographed views in London. People still do a double take even when they know the story.
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What to See When You Visit
The park covers 23 hectares and takes around 30 minutes to cross at a relaxed pace. Here is what to look for.
The pelicans: The best time to see them is around 2:30pm, when they are fed near the eastern end of the lake. At other times, they tend to rest on a rocky island in the water. Approach slowly and they are not easily disturbed.
Duck Island Cottage: The small ornamental cottage at the eastern end of the lake was built in 1840. It is home to the park’s ornithological keeper — the person responsible for the birds. It is not open to visitors, but the Gothic structure is worth noticing.
The Blue Bridge: The wooden suspension bridge at the centre of the park gives you the best views east and west. The fairy tale view is west, towards Whitehall. Looking east, you get a clear line towards the London Eye on the horizon.
Memorial Gates on The Mall: At the south edge of the park, a set of memorial gates honours the contribution of volunteers from Africa, the Caribbean, and South Asia during the two World Wars. They are often walked past without being read. They deserve more attention.
If you are planning a visit to central London and want to make the most of the Royal Parks and everything around them, our London trip planning guide has everything you need to put your visit together.
The Birds London Forgot It Had
The pelicans of St James’s Park have become, over the centuries, genuinely unremarkable to most Londoners. They are just there. They have always been there. Nobody finds them particularly strange.
In 2006, one of the park’s pelicans caught and swallowed a live pigeon. The incident was filmed by a tourist and became one of the internet’s early viral videos. The park authorities confirmed that, while unexpected, this was within a pelican’s natural dietary range. Nobody issued a formal statement of surprise.
These birds have been here through the Great Fire of London, the Industrial Revolution, two World Wars, and the construction of the Underground beneath their feet. They were here before the United States existed. They watched Charles II walk the same paths every morning.
And every afternoon, as they have done for 360 years, they eat their fish while London gets on with its business around them.
For more on the Royal ceremonies and traditions centred around St James’s Park, read about the one day a year London turns entirely royal — a free event that happens just steps from the park.
And if you enjoy London’s remarkable green spaces, you might also like to explore the hidden gardens that most visitors walk straight past.
What time are the pelicans fed in St James’s Park?
The pelicans are usually fed between 2:30pm and 3:00pm each afternoon, near the rocky island at the eastern end of the lake. This is the best time to see them up close and active.
Is St James’s Park free to visit?
Yes. St James’s Park is completely free to enter and is open every day. There are no tickets, no booking, and no entry fees. It sits between Buckingham Palace and Whitehall, directly accessible from The Mall.
What birds live in St James’s Park?
St James’s Park is home to over 15 species of waterfowl. The most famous are the six resident pelicans, but you will also find black swans, tufted ducks, coots, moorhens, Egyptian geese, and Canada geese. Birdwatching here is excellent for a city centre location.
How do I get to St James’s Park in London?
The nearest Underground stations are St James’s Park (District and Circle lines) and Westminster (Jubilee, District, and Circle lines). Both are a short walk from the park entrances. Buckingham Palace is at one end; Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament are at the other.
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If you only have one afternoon free in central London, St James’s Park is a better use of it than almost anywhere else. It costs nothing. It asks very little of you. And if you time it right, a pelican might eat a fish three metres from where you are standing, and nobody around you will look even slightly surprised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the pelicans in St James's Park real?
Yes, pelicans have lived in St James's Park since 1664, when Charles II received three Dalmatian pelicans from the Russian Ambassador as a diplomatic gift.
Where is St James's Park located?
St James's Park sits between Buckingham Palace and Whitehall in central London, making it accessible as you move between major landmarks.
How long have the pelicans been there?
The pelicans have lived continuously in St James's Park for over 360 years since their arrival in 1664.
Can you visit St James's Park?
Yes, the park has been open to the public since Charles II opened it in 1660, and you can see the pelicans drifting across the lake throughout the year.