Photo: Manuel González Olaechea y Franco / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Peruvian Pelican
Pelecanus thagus
Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) is a member of the Pelecanidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 3.4 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pelecaniformes
- Family Pelecanidae Pelicans
- Genus Pelecanus
- Species thagus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.4 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Pelecanidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Peruvian Pelican hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Peruvian Pelican is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) belongs to the Pelecanidae family of the order Pelecaniformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA coastal n Peru to c Chile.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3.4 kg, with a wing length of about 61.5 cm and a tail of around 15.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 367,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Peruvian Pelican?
The Peruvian Pelican is a very large bird that weighs around 3.4 kg.
Where does the Peruvian Pelican live?
The Peruvian Pelican is found across South America with a range covering SA coastal n Peru to c Chile, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Peruvian Pelican belong to?
The Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) belongs to the Pelecanidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Peruvian Pelican eat?
The Peruvian Pelican hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Peruvian Pelican migrate?
The Peruvian Pelican is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Peruvian Pelican endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
How large is the Peruvian Pelican's range?
The Peruvian Pelican has a mapped global range of about 367,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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