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Australian PelicanAlternate name(s): "Spectacled Pelican" ![]() Size: 1.6-1.8 m; wing span 2.3-2.5 m Weight: 4-13 kg (typically 4.5-7.7 kg) |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Close-up frontal view of two Australian Pelicans in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Gold Coast, QLD, May 2014]
Close-up near-lateral view of an Australian Pelican in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Gold Coast, QLD, May 2014]
Close-up lateral view of an Australian Pelican in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Lake Barrine, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, February 2019]
Close-up lateral view of an Australian Pelican in breeding
plumage
on the point of departure
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Lake Barrine, Atherton Tablelands, QLD, February 2019]
Australian Pelicans in breeding
plumage
resting on a sand bank - note the clearly visible buff
wash on the breast of the bird on the left
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Tweed River, Tweed Heads, NSW, December 2014]
Lateral view with a direct comparison between an Australian Pelican
in breeding plumage,
left, and another in eclipse, right
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, August 2013]
Frontal view of two Australian Pelicans in breeding
plumage
in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, May 2012]
Close-up frontal/ventral view of 2 Australian Pelicans in breeding
plumage in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, August 2020]
Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of an Australian Pelican in breeding
plumage in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, October 2020]
Lateral/ventral view of an Australian Pelican in breeding
plumage
in flight (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, July 2013]
NOT HERE, MATE!!! - Oops!
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, October 2020]
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NON-BREEDING |
Frontal view of an Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage
balancing on a branch
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, May 2021]
Close-up near-lateral view of an Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage
[Pilliga lagoon, near Pilliga, NSW, April 2021]
Lateral portrait of an Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage
[Iluka NR,
NSW, 2005]
Close-up lateral view of an Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage
[Pilliga lagoon, near Pilliga, NSW, April 2021]
Lateral view of an Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage,
"full steam ahead"
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, May 2021]
Lateral view of an Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage
at sea, near the coast
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Off Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
Lateral view of a preening Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dundowran Beach, Hervey Bay, QLD, May 2018]
Close-up lateral view of a resting Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage
[Pilliga Wetlands Walk, near Pilliga, NSW, July 2021]
Two Australian Pelicans on a relatively small water surface on an
inland creek
[O'Brien's Creek, Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2012]
Australian Pelican on a comfy seat
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, August 2009]
Group of Australian Pelicans taking possession of a jetty
[Near Wyong, NSW, June 2011]
This Australian Pelican was so fast asleep that it did not notice
the curious photographer at all
[Pilliga, NSW, May 2018]
Flock of about 110 Australian Pelicans at an ephemeral lake; one can
also see 8 Black
Swans just behind the pelicans; the hillrange in the background is
Coolah Tops NP
[Goran Lake, NSW, June 2011]
Flock of about 300 Australian Pelicans at an ephemeral lake
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2011]
Australian Pelican nursery on a sandbank at an
ephemeral lake
[Goran Lake, NSW, April 2013]
Do you want to compare the size of an Australian White Ibis
with Australian Pelicans? Click on image to set your scale...
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2008]
Australian Pelican preparing for take-off
[Pilliga Bore Bath, near Pilliga, NSW, November 2017]
Close-up view of an Australian Pelican in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, September 2011]
Lateral view of an Australian Pelican in flight
[Pilliga Bore Bath, near Pilliga, NSW, November 2017]
View onto the upperwing pattern in flight
Here a flock of Australian Pelicans seen from underneath;
note the dark carpal bars on the underwings, characterising
these birds as adults
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
Pedestrians beware! Oncoming traffic - Australian Pelican trying
to gain height
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2013]
Lateral view of an Australian Pelican in non-breeding
plumage
touching down
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, May 2021]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up frontal view of a juvenile Australian Pelican; note the
dusky, rather than black wing coverts
(photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2020]
Lateral view of a juvenile Australian Pelican; note the
dusky, rather than black wing coverts
(photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2020]
Mix of adult and juvenile Australian Pelicans
[Goran Lake, NSW, April 2022]
Australian Pelicans resting in shallow water; the bird on the
left is a juvenile (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, May 2021]
Lateral/ventral view of Australian Pelicans in flight -
adult on the right, juvenile on the left
[Goran Lake, NSW, March 2012]
Lateral view of two Australian Pelicans in flight;
adult top, juvenile below
[Goran Lake, NSW, March 2012]
Rapidly descending ("whiffling") Australian Pelican;
the absence of a dark carpal bar on the underwing and the dusky,
rather than black, flight feathers indicate that this bird is a
juvenile
[Goran Lake, NSW, April 2012]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Aug - Nov | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 32 - 37 days | Fledging age: 84 - 100 days |
Australian Pelicans breed in colonies. The breeding season depends significantly on geographical latitude and on conditions. The season listed in the table above refers to southern Australia. In response to good rainfall, in particular in the Red Centre, they can breed any time of the year. Before fledging, chicks leave the nest after only about 25 days and form creches.
Pair of Australian Pelicans working on the next generation
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Scrape | Material: Some sticks/debris around sand bowl | Height above ground: N/A |
Overview of a small breeding colony of Australian Pelicans
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]
Four Australian Pelican chicks that have left their nests
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]
Australian Pelican feeding a chick
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]
Australian Pelican brooding a very young chick, see lower right
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 90 x 57 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Long elliptical |
Australian Pelican nest with two eggs in it
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Nomadic | Elementary unit: Flock |
Lateral view of Australian Pelicans collectively rounding
up fish (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lower Brisbane River, QLD, June 2017]
Dorsal view of Australian Pelicans collectively rounding
up fish (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lower Brisbane River, QLD, June 2017]
These Australian Pelicans have learned to catch carp at a lock
(photo courtesy of C. Lawrence)
[River Murray, NSW/VIC border, October 2013]
We have observed Australian Pelicans "whiffling" to lose height quickly for landing. While descending, they partially fold their wings (similar to raptors) into a "W" form. While descending rapidly in this way, the wing feathers produce - under the load of the bird's weight of up to 13 kg - a phenomenal roar that can be heard over distances of at least 500 m.
Rapidly descending ("whiffling") Australian Pelican;
the absence of a dark carpal bar on the underwing and the dusky,
rather than black, flight feathers indicate that this bird is
immature
[Goran Lake, NSW, April 2012]
Here one reason to keep local waterways clean: Australian Pelican
trying to pick up and swallow a plastic bottle; fortunately, in the
end the bird did not succeed
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2012]
Flock of about 100 Australian Pelicans riding a thermal in order
to gain height, together with one lonesome Royal Spoonbill
[Near Narrabri, NSW, March 2013]
These 35 or so Australian Pelicans have trapped themselves; fishing
in a small permanent waterhole there was no way they could take off
when a photographer approached them - instead they gathered at the
centre of the only about 30-m wide water surface (photo taken from
close range with a 55-mm lens)
[Narrabri, NSW, June 2013]
"Fisherman's Friend" - Australian Pelicans can become quite docile,
especially when there are free handouts to be scavenged
[Old Bar, NSW, July 2013]
Australian Pelican touching down on water - full flaps, full brakes
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Tweed River, Tweed Heads, NSW, December 2014]
Australian Pelican touching down on water - here one can see
clearly both the upperwing and underwing plumage (photo courtesy of A.
Ross-Taylor)
[Tweed River, Tweed Heads, NSW, December 2014]
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Twitcher's tip |
Australian Pelicans are world-famous for congregating at Lake Eyre - from all around the continent! - when it is full for breeding events involving tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of birds. With such events happening only once in about 30 years, it is surmised that it is the old wise birds that tell all others when and where to go when the time has come. Recently Lake Eyre has been full in two consecutive years, 2010 (with the Cooper Creek reaching the lake for the first time since 1990) and 2011. Other major floods occurred in 1886/1887, 1889/1890, 1916/1917, 1950, 1955, and 1974-1976.
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Fish | Dependents: Regurgitated fish | Water intake: Irregular; rain water |
Like all other members of the Pelecanus family, Australian Pelicans feed on fish. We have seen them hunt in packs, trapping fish pushing forward in a semi-circular formation.
Australian Pelican gobbling up its catch
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, October 2022]
Australian Pelican with its catch; in order to keep it, this bird
had to fend off attempts from various of its mates to steal it
(photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Tweed River, Tweed Heads, NSW, December 2014]
This Australian Pelican has caught a fair-size fish
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Moree, NSW, August 2013]
This photo demonstrates the typical hunting strategy of Australian
Pelicans, rounding up fish by encircling them
[Goran Lake, NSW, August 2011]
This group of Australian Pelicans flew in to join the others shown
in the photo above
[Goran Lake, NSW, August 2011]
Two Australian Pelicans hunting in a shallow lake
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2012]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
austpel_20210406.m4a | (NW NSW) | ? | © MD |
More Australian Pelican sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.