Birds · Pelecaniformes · Pelecanidae

Australian Pelican

Pelecanus conspicillatus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

A large pelican with predominantly white plumage marked with black on the wings and back, and a large pink bill. It is the pelican with the longest bill of any species in the genus. Males are usually larger and longer-billed than females.

Weight

7 kg on average

Size

1.8 m on average

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Piscivore

Feeds mainly on fish.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanFreshwaterPiscivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean Freshwater

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Fun facts

It has the longest bill of any pelican in the world, and indeed the longest bill of any living bird.
It is one of the largest flying birds on the planet, with a wingspan of more than 2.5 m.
Its scientific name, conspicillatus, means "spectacled", after the ring of bare skin around its eyes.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Wetlands, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters of Australia, with a presence also in New Guinea, Indonesia, Fiji and New Zealand
Birth weight: Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
Size at birth: Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
Sexual maturity: 3.5 years
Gestation / incubation: 32-35 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 1-3 eggs per clutch

Sources consulted: IUCN Red List; Wikipedia (Pelecanus conspicillatus); Animalia.bio; Bernis et al. 1994, Ardeola (nombres castellanos recomendados por la SEO); Temminck 1824