A medium-sized pelican found across much of sub-Saharan Africa and parts of southern Arabia. Unlike its more famous relative, the great white pelican, the pink-backed pelican is more modest in both size and color, but it’s still an elegant and fascinating bird, especially when seen gliding low over lakes and rivers with its wings outstretched and pouch bill poised for action.
This pelican gets its name from the subtle pink tinge on the feathers of its back and shoulders, which is most noticeable when the light hits it just right. The rest of its plumage is generally pale grayish-white, with darker flight feathers and a yellowish or pinkish bill tipped with a hook.
Pink-backed pelicans live in a wide variety of wetland habitats, including lakes, rivers, swamps, estuaries, and floodplains. They prefer areas with shallow water and nearby trees or large reed beds where they can perch and nest. These pelicans are social birds, often seen in small groups or loose colonies, and they feed and roost communally.
Their feeding style is typical of pelicans: they use their large, flexible throat pouch to scoop up fish, which makes up the bulk of their diet. Unlike some pelicans that dive for fish, the pink-backed pelican mostly feeds by swimming and dipping its bill into the water, sometimes cooperatively with others to herd fish into shallow areas.
During breeding season, which varies depending on region and rainfall, pink-backed pelicans gather in colonies that can range from a few pairs to hundreds. They build bulky nests of sticks, often placed in tall trees, dense reeds, or on islands.
Distribution
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burundi
Cameroon
Central Af. Rep.
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Djibouti
Egypt
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Israel
Jordan
Kenya
Lebanon
Liberia
Madagascar
Official estimate
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Poland
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Yemen
Zambia
ZimbabweAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Flock
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
