Scientific name: Pelecanus crispus Bruch, 1832
Bird group: Pelicans
Field characters. 160-180 cm. Difficult to distinguish from Great White Pelican; usually somewhat larger. In flight with dark secondaries and black wing-tips; underside of wings dirty white. On short distance upperparts appear silvery white; fringe of curly feathers on hindcrown and hindneck; underparts dusky grey-white; large yellowish skin patch on lower part of throat. Eyes pale yellow. Underwing uniform dirty white, except for dark primary tips. Juvenile with dull and mottled grey-brown upperparts; underparts dirty white; quills brown. Immatures gradually become whiter.
Voice. Higher pitched than Great White Pelican; a few grunting and hissing sounds, but generally silent away from the colonies.
Distribution. Scattered distribution of colonies.
Habitat. Breeds in dense wetlands, floodlands, and shallow open waters.
Food. Fish, caught in gular sac used as scoop; practices group-fishing in the same way as Great White Pelican.
Eggs. Unmarked, ground colour white, becoming light brown during incubation. Texture rough, covered with chalky layer, becoming scratched during incubation. Shape subelliptical/long subelliptical/long elliptical. Size 94 x 59 mm (80-104 x 52-64), weight 155-195 g. Not distinguishable from Great White Pelican.