October 14, 2026
Petros, the Pelican of Mykonos
How a wounded pelican became one of the Greek island's most familiar residents.
Back in the 1950s, a fisherman on the Greek island of Mykonos found a wounded pelican and decided to take him home to recover. The bird survived and stuck around instead of flying off. The locals named him Petros (Πέτρος), or Peter in English, and before long, he became a regular sight at the waterfront. He wandered through the narrow streets, visited cafes and tavernas by the sea, and hung out with fishermen who shared their fresh catches with him. Mykonos had its very own pelican resident.
A familiar face around the island
Petros became a famous island mascot. He was often spotted around the harbor, hanging out with the locals, and somehow helped put Mykonos on more travelers' maps.
In 1961, LIFE photographer James Burke visited Mykonos and photographed Petros going about his daily life. The photos show him chilling on the beach, wandering through town, and spending time with a fisherman. In some of the pics, they're really close, almost nose to beak. These shots were taken for a story that never ended up in LIFE magazine, and we still don't know who the fisherman is. But they definitely give us a wonderful glimpse of Petros' life on the island.
There's also an interesting tale about him supposedly taking a trip to the nearby island of Tinos. According to local stories, Petros flew over to Tinos, but the residents there weren't really keen to let him go back to Mykonos. It turned into a bit of an inter-island dispute, with Mykonos residents determined to bring their pelican home.
Some versions even describe a court case over his custody, although the details change depending on who's telling the story. In any case, Petros eventually made his way back to Mykonos and settled right back into his usual routine around the harbor.
The pelicans of Mykonos
Petros lived on Mykonos for almost 30 years. He became one of the island's most famous residents before he passed away in 1985, reportedly after getting hit by a car.
His passing didn't end the island's unusual tradition. More pelicans were brought to Mykonos, including one that came as a gift from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Over time, several birds have taken on Petros' name and his role as the unofficial mascot of the island.
These days, pelicans are still a big part of Mykonos culture, appearing in photographs and greeting visitors around the waterfront. It all started when a fisherman took in an injured bird, and that pelican just decided to stick around.
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