Pelecanus Philippensis, commonly known as the spot-billed pelican is commonly found in Southern Asia. It breeds in large inland and coastal water bodies, and specifically large lakes. From a far, they are not distinguishable from other pelicans, but a closer look reveals that they have spots on the upper jaw. They also have dull colouration, and their feathers are peculiarly grey. In some parts, they are often found close to human settlements, and they live in huge flocks.

This spot- billed pelican is relatively small as compared to other pelicans, but it is still a huge bird. The spot-billed pelican is particularly white, and it has a grey crown, nape and its tail is brownish in colour. The feathers on its nape are curled, and their pouch is pinkish to purple in colour. The pouch has pale big spots, which also appear on the top culmen.

While flying, they look similar to the Dalmatian pelican, but their tail is more rounded. The young of these pelicans are white, and the spots become visible after about one year. The full adult feathers emerge when they attain the age of three years.

Their main habitat is usually in shallow and fresh water bodies. The spot-billed pelican is not nomadic, but, they are known to move locally, and are more widely dispersed outside the breeding season. This pelican species is a communal reproducer, commonly reproducing in the company of other birds.

Their nests are usually to be found on low lying trees close to water bodies, and at times near human settlements. However, several of these pelicans have disappeared in time, due to depletion of their habitats and human activities which do not augur well with their existence. Such human activities notorious for endangering bird life and other animal species include pollution as a result of industrialization, hunting of the birds for food, destruction of their habitats for construction and human settlement and also depletion of their sources of food such as fish through fishing.

The spot-billed pelican is known to be very quiet, although they may make some noises in their nests by grunting and clucking their beaks. Like most other pelicans, spot-billed pelicans catch their prey, mostly fish, in their large pouches on their beaks while they swim on the water surface. They do not form huge flocks like the great white pelicans, and they often fish either individually or in small groups. However, sometimes they queue up in flocks and chase fish outward, towards the shallow end of the water mass.

When they are flying to their nests or to the water bodies, little groups often fly in patterns while flapping their wings continuously. When temperatures are hot, the spot-billed pelicans usually use warm air waves to fly and in the process cool off. The spot-billed pelicans have become victims of human activities as highlighted above, and just like several other pelicans, have been greatly reduced in numbers as compared to the way it was sometime in the past years.