The Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus, is one of the largest and most attractive pelican species worldwide. They're found all across the continent, ranging inland to lakes that form after heavy rain, as well as all around the coastland from the far north to Tasmania. A particularly favoured hangout of east coast birds is the Sydney Fish Markets, where they sit regally on piers and attract food from tourists. They don't do anything as demeaning as begging for it, the way seagulls, pigeons, ducks and other such lowly individuals make much of their living in this day and age. They just sit there, huge, white, unruffled, in a particularly stately pose, until some hairy biped decides to pay homage with a fish.
They're extremely large birds, standing about three feet high. Including their 45cm bill, they're 1.8 meters long. Their wingspan is correspongingly vast. They get aloft from water by running along the surface with slow, powerful wingbeats. Once up, they glide with minimal effort. Pelicans have been seen soaring on thermals 3000m above the sea. Their wings are perpendicular to their bodies and completely rectangular, like those of most light aircraft, with the tips composed of long, black feathers. They curl their neck back in an 'S' shape and their enormous bill sits neatly on top, jutting forwards like some sort of radome. It may seem incongruous if you see one on the ground, but they're astonishingly aerodynamic. They can often be seen circling in groups of a dozen or so over Sydney Harbour.
The body is white, with slight fading to pale grey on the head, and a slight crest of longer feathers. The wings are mostly white, but with black tips and leading edges and a black band across oddly reminiscent of the bands on the wings of WWII German fighters. The tail is white below and black above. The beak is a pleasant pale pink, and the huge, webbed feet are pale blueish gray.
They're normally silent, but can make soft grunts around the nest and young. They breed year round, whenever there is water and food available.