Family Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
Least Concern
Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)
Taxonomy
French: Pélican à lunettes German: Brillenpelikan Spanish: Pelícano australiano
Taxonomy:
Pelecanus conspicillatus
Temminck
, 1824,New South Wales, Australia
.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
Part of a clade that includes also P. crispus, P. philippensis and P. rufescens#R. Monotypic.