Text extracted from Gill B.J.; Bell, B.D.; Chambers, G.K.; Medway, D.G.; Palma, R.L.; Scofield, R.P.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Worthy, T.H. 2010. Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. 4th edition. Wellington, Te Papa Press and Ornithological Society of New Zealand. Pages 138-139.

Order PELECANIFORMES: Pelicans, Gannets, Cormorants and Allies The close relationship between the families Sulidae, Phalacrocoracidae and Anhingidae has been supported by most recent work, however, the monophyly of the traditional larger grouping of Pelecaniformes is the subject of ongoing debate (e.g. Sibley & Ahlquist 1990, Johnsgard 1993, Christidis & Boles 1994, Kennedy et al. 2000, Livezey & Zusi 2001, van Tuinen et al. 2001, Fain & Houde 2004, Kennedy & Spencer 2004, Nelson 2005, Christidis & Boles 2008). For this reason we have separated Phaethontidae to its own order. We are aware that Pelecanus may be related to Ciconiiformes (see Christidis & Boles 2008), but we retain the traditional grouping in the absence of a resolution of these higher-level relationships. Given the uncertainty, the suborders and superfamilies followed by Checklist Committee (1990) have not been used here. Otherwise, a traditional approach to the families is retained, pending resolution of the issues. The sequence of pelecaniform families follows Checklist Committee (1990) for consistency, and agrees with del Hoyo et al. (1992). The sequence of species within families follows Checklist Committee (1990) unless noted.

Family PELECANIDAE Rafinesque: Pelicans Pelicanea Rafinesque, 1815: Analyse de la Nature: 72 – Type genus Pelecanus Linnaeus, 1758.

Genus Pelecanus Linnaeus Pelecanus Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1: 132 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Pelecanus onocrotalus Linnaeus. Catoptropelecanus Reichenbach, 1853: Avium Syst. Nat. 2(1): 7 – Type species (by original designation) Catoptropelecanus perspicillatus Reichenbach = Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck.

Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck, 1824: Planch. Color. d’ Oiseaux 47: pl. 276 – Australia, restricted to New South Wales, Australia (fide Mathews 1912, Novit. Zool. 18(3): 244). Pelecanus australis Stephens, 1826: in Shaw, General Zool. 13(1): 113 – New South Wales, Australia. Catoptropelecanus perspicillatus Reichenbach, 1853: Avium Syst. Nat. 2(1): 7 – New South Wales, Australia. Pelecanus proavus De Vis, 1892: Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 6: 449 – Queensland, Australia. Pelecanus conspicillatus westralis Mathews, 1912: Novit. Zool. 18(3): 244 – Perth, Western Australia. Pelecanus conspicillatus conspicillatus Temminck; Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th ser.): 419. Catoptropelecanus conspicillatus conspicillatus (Temminck); Mathews 1913, List Birds Australia: 101. Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 28. Pelecanus conspicillatus novaezealandiae Scarlett, 1966: Notornis 13: 209 – Poukawa, Hawke’s Bay. Pelecanus novaezealandiae Scarlett; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 77.

Breeds in Australia; straggles to New Zealand: 1890 Whanganui River; Aug. to Sep. 1976 near Dargaville; Nov. 1977 Southland; Dec. 1977 to Jun. 1978 South Canterbury (at least three birds; Sagar 1978). Recorded at Norfolk Island, late 1977 (Schodde et al. 1983). Pelicans are rare in New Zealand archaeological and Holocene fossil sites, with all but one record from the North Island (Gill & Tennyson 2002). The New Zealand fossils, including the type of P. novaezealandiae, an extinct supposedly endemic taxon, are inseparable from, and referred to, the Australian species (Worthy 1998d, Gill & Tennyson 2002, Scofield et al. 2003).