Great White Pelican vs Spot-billed Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus compared with Pelecanus philippensis

Key Differences

• Great White Pelican is Not Evaluated while Spot-billed Pelican is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Great White Pelican	Spot-billed Pelican
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order same	Pelecaniformes (Pelecaniformes)	Pelecaniformes (Pelecaniformes)
Family same	Pelecanidae	Pelecanidae
Genus same	Pelecanus	Pelecanus
Species	Pelecanus onocrotalus	Pelecanus philippensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Great White Pelican and Spot-billed Pelican share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Pelecanus.

Conservation Status

Great White Pelican

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

Spot-billed Pelican

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Great White Pelican	Spot-billed Pelican
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	30 years	—
Average Length	1.6 m	—
Average Weight	10.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Great White Pelican

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (9 countries).

Spot-billed Pelican

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Great White Pelican

One of the world's largest pelicans, great white pelicans have wingspans reaching 3.6 meters and inhabit shallow lakes and wetlands across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Social birds breeding in large colonies and foraging cooperatively — groups of pelicans corral fish into shallow water before scooping them in their expandable throat pouches. Their pouches can hold up to 13 liters of water. Listed as Least Concern globally with stable populations.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway