An ethogram of Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)

The Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), a near threatened bird and one of eight pelican species in the world, can be found only in South and Southeast Asia over an area between 129000 and 181000 km² with strongholds in India, Sri Lanka, southern Cambodia and coastal areas of Sumatra. In India, it is presently distributed in southern and northeastern India with concentrations in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Assam states. An ethogram of the Spot-billed Pelican was presented and as many as 25 individual behaviors grouped under nine different categories were described: resting, alert, comfort/maintenance, locomotion, foraging, antagonistic, sexual, chick care and foraging, and vocalizations. Descriptions of behaviors of the Spot-billed Pelican in this paper would be immensely useful while preparing conservation and management plan for the species present both in the captive and wild condition.