Spot-billed Pelican
NameSpot-billed Pelican
Common NameSpot-billed Pelican
Scientific NamePelecanus philippensis
FamilyPelecanidae
Wingspan (cm)232.5
Length (cm)138.5
Weight (g)5050
Plumage DetailsPredominantly greyish-white body plumage, with a grey hindneck and a shaggy crest. The back and wings are greyish, often with darker flight feathers. The long, flattened bill is pinkish to purplish with prominent dark spots on the upper mandible and a yellow tip. The gular pouch is pinkish to purplish.
Vocalization / CallGenerally a silent bird, but can produce grunts, hisses, or growls, particularly when in nesting colonies or when disturbed.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatswetland, coastal, urban
Conservation Statusnear-threatened
Geographic RangeFound in southern Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Identifying FeaturesPinkish/purplish bill with dark spots on upper mandible, Yellow bill tip, Greyish-white body plumage, Grey hindneck and shaggy crest, Large gular pouch
Description
The Spot-billed Pelican is a large water bird characterized by its greyish-white plumage and a distinctive long, flattened bill with dark spots on the upper mandible. It is typically found in shallow freshwater and brackish wetlands, where it forages for fish by dipping its large gular pouch into the water.
