Family Pelicans (Pelecanidae)

Least Concern

Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)

figure, drawing, illustration of Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)

Taxonomy

French: Pélican à lunettes German: Brillenpelikan Spanish: Pelícano australiano
Taxonomy:

Pelecanus conspicillatus

Temminck

, 1824,

New South Wales, Australia

.

Part of a clade that includes also P. crispus, P. philippensis and P. rufescens#R. Monotypic.

Distribution:

Most of Australia and also Tasmania. Regular non-breeding visitor to New Guinea, Solomon Is and Indonesia; vagrant in New Zealand#R.

Descriptive notes

152–188 cm; 4–6·8 kg; wingspan 230–260 cm; bill 409–500 mm in male, 346–408 mm in female. Breeding adult has mostly white head and... read more

Voice

At breeding site, utters groaning and belching sounds probably as threat, also "ah-ah-aarrha", "uh-... read more

Habitat

Large stretches of open water lacking dense aquatic vegatation; both inland and coastal. Typically... read more

Food and feeding

Probably mostly fish, including carp (Cyprinus carpio), Carassius auratus, Leiopotherapon unicolor and perch (... read more

Breeding

Poorly known, but apparently breeds almost all year round in places; timing and duration largely dependent on rainfall and water levels.... read more

Movements

Seasonal factors influence nomadic movements, with occasional mass movements during drought; also... read more

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Generally stable and common in suitable habitat. Assessment of global population difficult owing to this species' nomadic habits... read more

Recommended citation

Elliott, A., Christie, D.A., Jutglar, F. & Kirwan, G.M. (2020). Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/52614 on 23 February 2020).