Australian Pelican

Pelecanus conspicillatus

Holds the record for the longest bill of any bird alive, up to 50cm of pouch-powered fishing net.

Population: ~46,700–200,000 mature individuals (derived from a global estimate of ~70,000–300,000 individuals, Wetlands International 2023); trend stable/fluctuating over three generations (BirdLife/IUCN 2023 assessment)
Habitat: Large open waters and wetlands — lakes, reservoirs, billabongs, rivers, estuaries, swamps, coastal lagoons, sandy shorelines/spits (major breeding habitat), and artificial water bodies; prefers sites with minimal aquatic vegetation and low disturbance during breeding; sea level to ~150 m elevation
Fun fact: The Australian pelican holds the record for the longest bill of any living bird, with some measuring up to 50 cm.
Range: Widespread across Australia and Tasmania; native/breeding range also includes Indonesia, Papua New Guinea (New Guinea), Timor-Leste, and Solomon Islands; vagrant to Fiji, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau, and Vanuatu
Diet: Mainly fish (native and introduced species such as carp, goldfish, and perch), plus crustaceans (yabbies, prawns, shrimp), and occasionally insects, other birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals; often hunts cooperatively, herding fish into shallows
Size: 1.7 m
Wingspan: 2.45 m
Lifespan: 26.1 years

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