Australian Pelican
Australian PelicanAustralian PelicanAustralian PelicanAustralian Pelican

Australian Pelican

Pelecanus conspicillatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · Rare
overall probability at Maria Island National Park
13 Verified records at Maria Island National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) is a large waterbird in 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 in 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 scavenge for scraps if the opportunity arises. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Australian Pelican sighting in Maria Island National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Maria Island National Park

White-faced Heron
LC

White-faced Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta novaehollandiae

40–50% · Likely
Great Egret
LC Endemic

Great Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea alba

Insufficient data
Nankeen Night-Heron
LC

Nankeen Night-Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nycticorax caledonicus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
5–10
Mar
5–10
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
20–30
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
2 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
3 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
4 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
5 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
6 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
7 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
8 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
9 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
10 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
11 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
12 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
13 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
14 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
15 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
16 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
17 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Australian Pelican in Maria Island National Park?

About 5% of wildlife watchers report a Australian Pelican sighting in Maria Island National Park, based on 13 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Australian Pelican in Maria Island National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Australian Pelican in Maria Island National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Maria Island National Park