Australian Pelican
Pelecanus conspicillatus
LCLeast Concern
- Family
- Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
Overview
The Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is a large waterbird in the family Pelecanidae, widespread on the inland and coastal waters of Australia and New Guinea, also in Fiji, parts of Indonesia and as a vagrant in New Zealand. It is a predominantly white bird with black wings and a pink bill. It has been recorded as having the longest bill of any living bird. It mainly eats fish, but will also consume birds and scavenge for scraps if the opportunity arises.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds Australia including Tasmania; winters to New Guinea region and central and eastern Indonesia.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Australian pelican
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
