Dalmatian Pelican

The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is one of the world's largest freshwater birds, breeding in large lakes, marshes, deltas, and coastal lagoons across southeastern Europe and Central Asia. Within the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), it breeds in wetlands of Kazakhstan, southern Russia, and parts of western Mongolia, with populations dispersing and migrating south to winter in the Caspian region, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and China. The species nests colonially on islands and floating vegetation in shallow wetlands and feeds primarily on fish captured in freshwater and brackish habitats. Globally classified as Near Threatened, it faces continuing threats from wetland loss and degradation, disturbance at breeding colonies, illegal shooting, overexploitation of fish stocks, powerline collisions, and the critically small Mongolian population. The Dalmatian Pelican has long been regarded as a symbol of healthy wetlands and abundant fisheries, featuring in the cultural heritage of many communities across Eurasia.