Pelican

A recent excursion to McNeilly Park resulted in some nice views of a Pelican or more correctly, Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus. 

Pelicans are highly mobile as they search for suitable water bodies on which to rest or feed. Their diet consists mostly of fish and other aquatic animals but a hungry Pelican is not beyond preying on ducklings, seagulls and other small water birds. 

They may feed alone (like this one) or they may work cooperatively as a group, ‘herding’ fish into a concentrated area for easy pickings. 

After a while, this lone bird decided it was time to move on and after taking off, circled continuously searching for a thermal of air to take it to a greater altitude. In this way, Pelicans can cover huge distances, sometimes staying aloft for 24 hours.