According to numerous sources, no other living bird has a bigger bill than the Australian Pelican’s.
Bills/beaks are difficult to measure, most especially the larger ones with flexible, pouch-like lower sections.
Unsurprisingly, the metaphorical jury has not unanimously given “the gong” to Pelecanus conspicillatus.
It is, however, nigh-unanimous in agreeing that Australia’s pelicans have the bird world’s longest bills.
This post’s Guinness-gonged hero was opening his or hers on the western side of Lake Monger at 7.02 pm on New Year’s Day.
Tomorrow’s post also features a pelican opening wider than a dentist’s most compliant patient ever could.
Footnote to yesterday’s post:
When/if its Eurasian Coot chick eventually resembles its parents, s/he will then have amazing “clown” feet.
Click this to see what I mean.
(my thanks to the friend who alerted me to the article, which has several excellent photos and more information)