Justification This species has declined at a moderately rapid rate owing to a number of threats. For this reason the species is classified as Near Threatened.

Family/Sub-family Pelecanidae

Species name author Gmelin, 1789

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 127-140 cm. Small, dull, pelican with spotted bill and pouch. Dusky, tufted hindcrown and hindneck, bluish lores, mostly pinkish upper mandible, and pale flight feathers from below. Similar spp. Dalmatian Pelican P. crispus is larger, brighter white with orange pouch and bushy, curly crest. Juvenile Great White Pelican P. onocrotalus is larger with darker head, neck and upperparts, paler lores and blackish flight feathers.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

13,000 - 18,000

decreasing

181,000 km²

No

Range & population Pelecanus philippensis was formerly common across much of Asia, but suffered a widespread decline. However, owing to protection and increased knowledge its estimated population has been revised upwards from a low of 5,500-10,000 birds in 2002 to an estimated 13,000-18,000 individuals in 2006. Known breeding populations are now confined to India, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. The Indian population is thought to exceed 5,000 birds in the south owing to increases resulting from improved protection of the species⁷, plus c.3,000 in Assam¹. In southern India there are 21 known breeding colonies in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu⁸. One of these at Kokkare Bellur, Karnataka, has doubled in size in recent years⁸. In Sri Lanka c.5,000 birds were thought to breed, possibly overlapping with the southern Indian populations³. However, recent evidence from Sri Lanka suggests a breeding population of fewer than 1,000 pairs (counts from the three known colonies totalled just 400 pairs⁶). In South-East Asia an estimated 1,000-1,500 breeding pairs⁹ occur at Prek Toal on the Tonle Sap lake. This population is thought to be increasing following protection of breeding birds at the site beginning in 2002⁹. It probably breeds in small numbers on Sumatra, Indonesia, and may also breed in Myanmar⁵. There are recent records of migrants in Nepal, Laos and Vietnam, but it no longer occurs in the Philippines and China. Numbers recorded in Thailand have increased in recent years⁴. This is thought to be as a result of improved protection of the nesting colonies in Cambodia.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It inhabits a variety of deep and shallow wetlands, both man-made and natural, freshwater and saline, open and forested. It breeds colonially in tall trees or palms and feeds in open water, primarily on fish. Some populations appear to be sedentary.

Threats A crucial factor in its decline was the loss of the Sittang valley breeding colony in Myanmar through deforestation and loss of feeding-sites. Key threats are a combination of human disturbance at breeding colonies and wetlands, extensive felling of nesting trees, hunting and poaching of eggs and chicks. Additional threats include loss of important feeding-sites through siltation, agricultural intensification, aquaculture development, drainage and conversion of wetlands, declines in wetland productivity as a result of pesticide use, and over-exploitation of fisheries. There is some persecution resulting from competition between the birds and fishers. A potential but as yet unqualified threat is posed by avian influenza⁴.

Conservation measures underway In India, several key breeding colonies are in protected areas and some local communities have pelican conservation initiatives. In Cambodia, the breeding colonies at Prek Toal and Moat Khla/Boeng Chhma are core areas of Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. Conservation actions to reduce chick and egg collection and other forms of disturbance to the breeding colony at Prek Toal have been in place since the late 1990s. 8 out of 15 nesting sites in Tamil Nadu are protected.

Conservation measures proposed Identify and survey colonies in Cambodia and any remaining in Myanmar. Afford strict protection to important nesting colonies and key feeding-sites. Promote strict control of pesticide use in important feeding areas. Continue and strengthen on-going conservation actions at the Prek Toal colony, Tonle Sap lake. Draft and enforce new legislation pertaining to large waterbird colony conservation around Tonle Sap lake. Expand conservation awareness programmes at key sites. Monitor the population for signs of avian influenza.

References Birdlife International (2001). 1. Choudhury (2000). 2. Kannan and Manakadan (2005). 3. S. W. Kotagama in litt. (2001). 4. P. Round in litt. (2006). 5. G. Chunkino in litt. (2006). 6. C. Kaluthota in litt. (2006). 7. S. Subramanya in litt. (2006). 8. Subramanya (2006). 9. T. Clements in litt. (2007).

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Pete Davidson (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International), Nic Peet (BirdLife International), John Pilgrim (BirdLife International), Joe Tobias (BirdLife International)

Contributors Simba Chan (Wild Bird Society of Japan), Gaasas Chunkino, Tom Clements (Wildlife Conservation Society), Chinthaka Kaluthota (Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka), Sarath W. Kotagama (Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka), Zuo Wei David Li (Wetlands International), P. Round, S. Subramanya (Indian Birds)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Pelecanus philippensis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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