Species guide
Australian Pelican: how to recognise it
A bird of Asia and Oceania. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © jcharmon · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Pelecanus conspicillatus
- Family
- Pelicans
- Size
- About 160–180 cm
- Habitat
- Lakes, rivers, estuaries and coasts
- Found in
- Asia and Oceania
The key marks
A huge white pelican with black wings and an enormous pinkish bill with a pouch.
Voice
Mostly silent; low grunts at the nest.
Good to know
It has the longest bill of any living bird, reaching about 50 cm.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in lakes, rivers, estuaries and coasts. It is especially common in Australia. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.