Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus Scientific name definitions

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 upperparts, feathers on nape and upper hindneck variably tinged greyish and form a mane or short crest, large black V from outer and rear scapulars and sides of back meeting on central lower rump, white uppertail coverts contrasting with both V and tail ; upperwing black, primaries with white shafts at bases, large white panel over median to marginal coverts on central wing, median coverts much elongated; exposed tail black; underwing-coverts and axillaries white with variable number of black feathers on centre of lesser coverts, some lacking any black there, others with long, bold and solid bar including part of median and lesser coverts, exposed remiges grey becoming diffusely darkest on broad tips; underparts white except slight yellowish tinge on lowermost foreneck; non-breeding adult has more obvious greyish-brown tinge on nape and hindneck, but nuchal crest is reduced to shorter mane, usually lacks yellow tinge at base of foreneck, but that area and entire abdomen may be stained brownish ochre; iris blackish; narrow dark bluish orbital ring (makes eye appear larger), surrounded by broader bright yellow area  not reaching base of bill, often narrowly outlined dark, the yellow less rich outside pre-breeding season; bill in pre-breeding season has narrow greyish-blue line at its base, maxilla pale pink to pink-flesh with yellow to ochre nail, distal third of maxilla tinged blue at sides with some yellowish on cutting edges, mandible similar but deeper blue over distal half, pouch has creamy and partially yellow base and upper part, crossed by longitudinal blue stripe, the lower half and distal region salmon-pink, at other seasons bluish areas duller and often reduced, pouch pale pinkish flesh to creamy overall, longitudinal stripe much duller or invisible ; legs dark slate-grey to bluish grey. Sexes similar, but female smaller with much shorter bill. Juvenile similar to non-breeding adult but upperwing-coverts shorter, marginal and some lesser coverts browner, median and greater coverts and tertials blackish brown with whitish fringes, scapulars have some white at bases, V over lower back less solid, mixed with white, and may not reach rear scapulars, white band over uppertail-coverts may appear broader, and legs can have dull flesh-brown tinge. Only pelican in which bare skin around eye does not reach base of bill ; the strikingly contrasting plumage pattern making it nearly unmistakable, only poor views of flying P. thagus from above or immature P. onocrotalus from below may somehow recall present species.

Most of Australia and also Tasmania. Regular non-breeding visitor to New Guinea, Solomon Is and Indonesia; vagrant in New Zealand (2 Scofield, R.P. and Stephenson, B. (2013). Birds of New Zealand: A Photographic Guide. Auckland University Press, Auckland, New Zealand. Close ).

Large stretches of open water lacking dense aquatic vegatation; both inland and coastal. Typically on large lakes, reservoirs, billabongs and rivers; also estuaries, swamps, temporarily flooded areas in arid zones, drainage channels in farmland, saltpans, coastal lagoons and humanized areas, such as fishing ports. Nests on small sandy islands or along shore of sea coast , lakes, swamps, etc., requiring remote, undisturbed site with adequate food supply nearby. Roosts and loafs at similar sites and also mudflats, sandbars, beaches, reefs, jetties and piles.

Seasonal factors influence nomadic movements, with occasional mass movements during drought; also wind-blown on occasions. Irruption in 1978 into Indonesia, reaching Sulawesi, Java and possibly also Sumatra. Fairly regular visitor to S coast of New Guinea, also Bismarcks and Solomons. Vagrant in New Zealand, Indonesia, Christmas I (Indian Ocean), Vanuatu and Fiji; first recorded on Nauru (Micronesia) in Aug 2002 (3 Buden, D. W. (2008). The Birds of Nauru. Notornis. 55(1): 8-19. Close ).

Probably mostly fish , including carp (Cyprinus carpio), Carassius auratus, Leiopotherapon unicolor and perch (Perca fluviatilis). Seems to be more catholic in taste than other pelicans, and recorded as taking: insects; small crustaceans, e.g. decapod shrimps (Macrobrachium) and freshwater crayfish (Cherax destructor); occasional birds, e.g. Silver Gulls (Larus novaehollandiae) and Grey Teal (Anas gibberifrons); some reptiles and amphibians; and probably even small dogs. Regularly feeds in groups , which may number up to 1900 birds, often co-operatively; also frequently solitary. Occasionally kleptoparasitic, robbing e.g. cormorants (Phalacrocorax); also recorded plunge diving from low down, close to surface of water.

At breeding site, utters groaning and belching sounds probably as threat, also "ah-ah-aarrha", "uh-uh-uhr" and similar calls; bill-clappering and, in display, bill-snapping not uncommon. Generally silent away from colony.

Poorly known, but apparently breeds almost all year round in places; timing and duration largely dependent on rainfall and water levels. Nests on ground or on lignum bushes; nest a depression lined with plant matter and rubbish, slightly more elaborate on bushes. Clutch 1–4 eggs, average 2; incubation 32–35 days; chicks hatch naked , grow grey down; gather in pods c. 25 days after hatching; fledging period c. 3 months.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Generally stable and common in suitable habitat. Assessment of global population difficult owing to this species' nomadic habits; more than 200,000 found breeding on L Eyre in Mar 1990, taking advantage of flooding of the normally dry lake. Critical assessment of breeding records in Victoria (SE Australia) revealed that this species had bred at only eight sites since 1970 and a further two before then; of the ten localities, two (L Buloke and Gippsland Lakes) had not been utilized before 1996, while five used frequently and remaining three only intermittently (4 O’Brien, M. B., Corrick, A. H. and Lacey, G. (2010). Breeding Sites of the Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus in Victoria. Australian Field Ornithology. 27: 19-30. Close ). Resident on Timor, where previously considered an irregular visitor; counts in excess of 100 individuals on Timor and on Roti I (5 Trainor, C. R. (2011). The waterbirds and coastal seabirds of Timor-Leste: new site records clarifying residence status, distribution and taxonomy. Forktail 27:63–72. Close ). Legally protected throughout Australia, and no evidence to date that this species is suffering excessively from pollution. In many areas it associates with humans, although tends to prefer remote sites, particularly during breeding. Changes in water level often cause breeding failure as a result of swamping of nests or greater accessibility to terrestrial predators. Readily adapts to artificial sites, such as reservoirs, while its traditional extensive open-water habitat has suffered less from drainage than have other wetlands throughout Australia.