Roseate Spoonbill
Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57175365" class="extiw" title="d:Q57175365"><span title="German-American photographer, Wikipedian, and Executive Director of the Wiki Education Foundation">Frank Schulenburg</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
NameRoseate Spoonbill
Common NameRoseate Spoonbill
Scientific NamePlatalea ajaja
FamilyThreskiornithidae
Wingspan (cm)120
Length (cm)80
Weight (g)1500
Plumage DetailsAdults display brilliant pink body plumage, with deeper red patches on the shoulders and tail coverts. The neck and upper back are white, and the head is bare, appearing greenish-yellow, sometimes with orange or red tinges. Legs are reddish.
Vocalization / CallGenerally silent, but may produce low grunts, croaks, or hissing sounds, particularly during breeding season or when disturbed at the nest.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatswetlands, marshes, estuaries, mangrove swamps, lagoons
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound in coastal areas of the Americas, including the southeastern United States (especially Florida and the Gulf Coast), the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Identifying Featuresspoon-shaped bill, vibrant pink plumage, bare greenish-yellow head, long legs, wading bird
Description
The Roseate Spoonbill is a large wading bird easily identified by its distinctive spoon-shaped bill and vibrant pink plumage. They forage in shallow waters, sweeping their unique bills side to side to filter out small aquatic prey.
