Photo: Dr. Raju Kasambe / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dalmatian Pelican
Pelecanus crispus
Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a member of the Pelecanidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 9.5 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 crispus
Where it lives
Inland southeastern Europe to Kazakhstan and western Mongolia, south to Turkey and Xinjiang (western China)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.5 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Pelecanidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dalmatian Pelican hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Dalmatian Pelican is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a species of bird in the Pelecanidae family, part of the order Pelecaniformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL inland se Europe to Kazakhstan and w Mongolia, s to Turkey and Xinjiang (w China).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 9.5 kg, with a wing length of about 68.7 cm and a tail of around 19.8 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dalmatian Pelican?
The Dalmatian Pelican is a very large bird that weighs around 9.5 kg.
Where does the Dalmatian Pelican live?
The Dalmatian Pelican is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL inland se Europe to Kazakhstan and w Mongolia, s to Turkey and Xinjiang (w China), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Dalmatian Pelican belong to?
The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) belongs to the Pelecanidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Dalmatian Pelican eat?
The Dalmatian Pelican hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Dalmatian Pelican migrate?
The Dalmatian Pelican is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Dalmatian 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.
What sound does the Dalmatian Pelican make?
1 real field recording of the Dalmatian Pelican — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Dalmatian Pelican's range?
The Dalmatian Pelican has a mapped global range of about 3.3 million 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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