Contortionist

The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is a large black and white bird (1.6 to 1.8 metres long, wingspan 2.3 to 2.5 metres) with long bill and large throat pouch. Eye black with yellow ring. Legs and webbed feet are grey. Females similar to males with a shorter bill. Breeding birds have a yellow patch on the breast and a deep pink bill. There are no geographical variations. Wild pelicans live between 10 and possibly 25 plus years.

They normally walk and swim with head and neck extended; in flight the head is tucked back and when stalking fish the bird swims with the head held low, presumably to make harder to see from underwater.

Pelicans weigh 3 to 14 kilograms; they have an extremely light skeleton making up only ten per cent of the body weight. All pelicans have a layer of bubbles under most of their torso, believed to be for flotation and insulation.

Pelicans mainly eat fish but will also eat crustaceans, tadpoles and turtles. During periods of starvation pelicans have been reported to eat seagulls; the gull is held underwater until it drowns then is swallowed headfirst. Pelicans also rob other birds of their prey; they willingly accept handouts from humans and often cluster around fish-cleaning stations expecting fisherpeople to throw them unwanted fish scraps. Given a chance they will take bait from unguarded bait-buckets.

TSC Sepia