Spot-Billed Pelican: Habitat, Behavior, and Conservation Status

Why in the News?

In 2014, Cyclone Hudhud severely damaged the bird enclosure at Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam. As a result, painted storks and spot-billed pelicans started roaming freely within the zoo premises, adapting to their new environment.

About Spot-Billed Pelican

Scientific Name: Pelecanus philippensis

• The spot-billed pelican, also known as the gray pelican, is a large water bird native to southern Asia. It primarily inhabits large inland and coastal water bodies, especially shallow freshwater lakes.

Habitat and Distribution

• Habitat: Prefers shallow lowland freshwater wetlands.
• Geographical Distribution:
  • Found mainly in Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia.
  • Declining populations in Southeast Asia, with local extinctions in areas like the Philippines.

Characteristics and Behavior

• Size & Appearance:
  • Medium-sized pelican with a wingspan of 213–250 cm.
  • Predominantly white with a grey crest and brownish tail.
• Migration & Movement:
  • Non-migratory, but exhibits local movements, especially during the non-breeding season.
• Breeding:
  • Colonial breeder, often nesting alongside painted storks.
• Vocalization:
  • Generally silent, but may grunt or hiss during the nesting period.

Threats to Spot-Billed Pelican

• Habitat destruction due to wetland degradation and human disturbance.
• Population decline in Southeast Asia, leading to local extinctions.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Status: Near Threatened
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule II
• CITES: Appendix II