Roseate Spoonbill

The Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea ajaja, is a striking member of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. This species is notable for its vibrant pink plumage and distinctive spoon-shaped bill. Adult birds exhibit a bare greenish head, which takes on a golden buff hue during the breeding season. Their neck, back, and breast are white, with a central tuft of pink feathers when breeding. The rest of the body is a deep pink, and the bill is grey. The Roseate Spoonbill measures 71–86 cm in length, with a wingspan of 120–133 cm, and weighs between 1.2 and 1.8 kg.

Identification Tips

To identify the Roseate Spoonbill, look for its elongated legs, bill, neck, and spatulate bill. The adult's greenish head and white neck contrast with its pink body. In flight, unlike herons, spoonbills keep their necks outstretched and alternate between stiff, shallow wingbeats and glides.

Habitat

The Roseate Spoonbill is typically found in shallow fresh or coastal waters, where it can be seen swinging its bill from side to side while walking steadily, often in groups.

Distribution

This species is locally common in Texas, Florida, and southwest Louisiana in the United States. Its range extends through South America, primarily east of the Andes, and into coastal regions of the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of the United States. The bird's range has expanded in the 21st century, with sightings as far north as South Carolina and occasional reports in Michigan and Wisconsin.

Behaviour

The Roseate Spoonbill is a gregarious bird, often seen feeding in groups. It sifts through mud with its bill to find food, and its presence can attract other bird species that benefit from the spoonbill's foraging.

Breeding

Roseate Spoonbills nest in shrubs or trees, often mangroves, and lay two to five whitish eggs with brown markings. Immature birds have paler pink plumage, white feathered heads, and a yellowish or pinkish bill.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Roseate Spoonbill includes crustaceans, aquatic insects, mollusks, frogs, newts, and very small fish. It competes for food with other freshwater birds and may be followed by egrets that take advantage of the spoonbill's foraging.

Conservation status

Once nearly driven to extinction by plume hunting, the Roseate Spoonbill is now considered to be of Least Concern.