Black-faced Spoonbill
Platalea minor
The Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) is a uncommon ibises and spoonbill found in 13 countries, weighing about 1.2 kg. The black-faced spoonbill is a species of wading bird in the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae, found in eastern Asia.
About the Black-faced Spoonbill
The black-faced spoonbill is a species of wading bird in the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae, found in eastern Asia. This species has the most restricted distribution of the six spoonbill species, and is the only one regarded as endangered. Spoonbills are large water birds with dorso-ventrally flattened, spatulate bills; they use a tactile method of feeding, wading in the water and sweeping their beaks from side-to-side to detect prey. Confined to the coastal areas of eastern Asia, it seems that it was once common throughout its area of distribution. It currently breeds mostly on a few small rocky islands off the west coast of North Korea and South Korea, with four wintering…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Cambodia, North Korea.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- What does a Black-faced Spoonbill look like?
- The black-faced spoonbill is a species of wading bird in the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae, found in eastern Asia.
- How big is a Black-faced Spoonbill?
- The Black-faced Spoonbill is a large sized bird weighing about 1.2 kg.
- Where can you see a Black-faced Spoonbill?
- The Black-faced Spoonbill occurs in 13 countries, including Taiwan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong SAR China and Japan.
- What birds look similar to a Black-faced Spoonbill?
- The Black-faced Spoonbill is most easily confused with the Yellow-billed Spoonbill, the African Spoonbill and the Royal Spoonbill.
- Is the Black-faced Spoonbill endangered?
- The Black-faced Spoonbill is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black-faced Spoonbill for real
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