An African wetland pelican whose pale back can take on a pink tint.
The back and rump are pale grey with a pinkish tinge, especially during breeding. The head has a grey crest and a dark spot in front of the eye. The flight feathers are grey. The bill is yellow with a yellow-red nail, and the pouch is deep yellow.
In northeastern South Africa, Pink-backed Pelicans use different wetlands for nesting and feeding as seasons change. Bowker’s regional study records the first reported breeding site at the Hluhluwe River mouth in 1949; by 1984, the colony was at Nsumo Pan in Mkhuze Game Reserve.
Waterbird counts from 1992–2005 were higher at Nsumo Pan in summer and Lake St Lucia in winter. Estimates ranged from 34–250 birds in summer and 46–168 in winter. These are seasonal site counts rather than tracking records of individual movements. Together, the records describe seasonal use of Nsumo Pan, Lake St Lucia and floodplain wetlands across the local landscape.
IUCN Red List · Least Concern (LC) · Global, species-level assessment
Globally, the IUCN Red List assessment dated 22 July 2024 classifies the species as Least Concern (LC). It estimated 33,300–66,700 mature individuals and a stable global population trend. In contrast, the 2025 regional assessment covering South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini lists it as Vulnerable (VU [A2c; D2]). The regional estimate of 600–900 mature individuals is carried forward from a comprehensive 2015 estimate; the assessment identifies only three active breeding sites. Bird atlas records underpin a predicted 39% decline in regional area of occupancy over three generations. Disturbance at breeding colonies, altered rain and flooding patterns, loss of nesting trees and wetland conversion are identified as concerns. The assessment proposes standardized monitoring of breeding pairs, management of nesting trees and healthy aquatic ecosystems. Seasonal movements change where birds are counted, and confidence in the regional population estimate is medium. The global and southern African regional categories describe different geographic scopes.