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Australian Pelican

August 20, 2013 by · Comments Off on Australian Pelican 

Australian Pelican, The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is a large waterbird of 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 to 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 scavenges for scraps.

The Australian Pelican was first described by Dutch naturalist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1824. Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin verb conspicere “to perceive”, hence “conspicuous”.

The Australian Pelican is medium-sized by pelican standards, with a wingspan of 2.3 to 2.6 m (7.5 to 8.5 ft). Weight can range from 4 to 13 kg (8.8 to 29 lb), although most of these pelicans weigh between 4.54 and 7.7 kg (10.0 and 17 lb). The pale, pinkish bill is enormous, even by pelican standards, and is the largest bill in the avian world. The record-sized bill was 50 cm (20 in) long. Females are slightly smaller with a notably smaller bill, which can measure as small as 34.6 cm (13.6 in) at maturity. The total length is boosted by the bill to 152-188 cm (60-74 in), which makes it rank alongside Dalmatian Pelican as the longest of pelicans.

Overall, the Australian Pelican is predominantly white in colour. There is a white panel on upper-wing and white-V on rump set against black along the primaries. During courtship, the orbital skin and distal quarter of bill are orange-coloured with the pouch variously turning dark blue, pink and scarlet. The non-breeding adult has bill and eye-ring pale yellow, pouch pale pinkish. Juvenile similar to adult, but black replaced w brown and white patch on upper wing reduced. Overall, their appearance is somewhat similar to several other pelicans, though the species is allopatric.

Australian Pelican

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