Scientific Name:
Platalea ajaja
Distribution
Southern USA bordering Mexican Gulf, Caribbean and South America
Diet:
Small fish, small crustaceans, plants and insects.
Facts
Habitat: Marsh-like areas, mangrove swamps, mud flats.
Incubation: 23 days, 3 eggs/reproductive season.
Social structure: groups up to thousands of couples.
Weight: max 1.8 kg.
Dimensions: max 86 cm, wingspan: max1.30 m.
Lifespan: ~10 years.
Estimated population in the wild: Unknown, Stable.
IUCN Status: Least Concern.
Threats: Habitat loss due to coastal development, climate change and pollution.
Did you know that:
- It feeds by swinging its spoon-shaped bill from side to side. The bill has sensitive nerve endings, allowing it to detect when it comes into contact with prey.
- They get their pink color from the crustaceans they eat who in turn have fed on pink algae.
- There are six species of spoonbill in the world. The Roseate Spoonbill is the only one with pink plumage.