The Australian pelican is touted as having the longest bill of any living bird. They hail from Australia, but have spread to Australasia as well. Because they often interact with recreational fishing areas they are highly vulnerable to swallowing discarded fishing hooks and becoming entangled in monofilament lines, which can result in severe injuries or prevent them from eating. Habitat loss and destruction as a result of coastal development, agriculture, and water infrastructure destroys and degrades the wetlands, estuaries, and inland lakes they rely on for feeding and breeding. Extensive boating, tourism, or close approaches by humans near their nesting islands can result in parent pelicans abandoning their nests, leaving eggs or chicks unprotected. Among urban and industrial locations, water runoff can introduce toxins and result in dangerous algae blooms that degrade water quality and can harm local fish populations. Due to climate change, severe weather events and extended droughts dry up critical inland wetlands. Changes in water temperatures and unpredictable flooding patterns can also shift or deplete local fish populations, which impacts their food availability. Lastly, outbreaks of diseases like the H5 bird flu virus can pose severe risks to colonial wetland birds of all species. However, amongst all these challenges these birds are abundant enough to be listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Their population trend is listed as stable.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Pelecanus conspicillatus
Weight: Up to 15 lbs.
Length: Up to 6 feet
Wingspan: Up to 8.5 feet
Lifespan: Up to 50+ years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) Their hunting tactics are clever as they will work in pods to drive fish into shallower water, where they stick their sensitive bills in to grab their prey.
2.) A wide variety of fish, and even introduced species of fish such as goldfish, European carp, and European perch are all happily feasted upon. They will also prey on smaller birds and nestlings.
3.) Other prey items taken include animals such as yabbies, prawns, shrimp, reptiles, amphibians, rats, mice, and even the occasional small lap dog.
4.) Australian ravens, swamp harriers, gulls, black rats, and domestic dogs attack and eat their chicks & destroy and eat their eggs. Adults have no natural predators.
5.) Kleptoparasitism (stealing of food from other animals) has also been documented from cormorants. Cannibalism of younger pelicans has been recorded, too.
But wait, there’s more on the Australian pelican!
6.) Their preferred habitats are fresh, estuarine, and marine wetlands, estuaries, lakes, swamps, and coastal seashores.
7.) Females lay up to 4 chalky white eggs that hatch in up to 35 days.
Did you know…?
There were an estimated 200,000 wild individuals as of 2024.
8.) Siblicide often occurs with these birds. That is when the larger bird or birds outcompete the weaker ones for food and the younger one(s) in the nest starve to death. Sometimes siblicide results in the intentional killing of the younger and weaker siblings.
9.) The surviving chicks fledge in up to 3 months of age.
10.) In numerous locales, like the beach at Monkey Mia, Western Australia, and at The Entrance, New South Wales, pelicans often associate with humans and may even beg for free food, but while nesting they are quite sensitive to human disturbances.
Now a Short Australian Pelican Video!
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
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