Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
The Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a common ibises and spoonbill found in 35 countries, weighing about 1.5 kg. The roseate spoonbill is a social wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae.
About the Roseate Spoonbill
The roseate spoonbill is a social wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. It is a resident breeder in both South and North America. The roseate spoonbill's pink color is diet-derived, consisting of the carotenoid pigment canthaxanthin, like the American flamingo.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The roseate spoonbill is 71–86 cm (28–34 in) long, with a 120–133 cm (47–52 in) wingspan and a body mass of 1.2–1.8 kg (2.6–4.0 lb). The tarsus measures 9.7–12.4 cm (3.8–4.9 in), the culmen measures 14.5–18 cm (5.7–7.1 in) and the wing measures 32.3–37.5 cm (12.7–14.8 in) and thus the legs, bill, neck and spatulate bill all appear elongated. Adults have a bare greenish head ("golden buff" when breeding) and a white neck, back and breast (with a tuft of pink feathers in the center when breeding), and are otherwise a deep pink. The bill is grey. There is no significant sexual dimorphism.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Martinique.
When to see it
The Roseate Spoonbill can be seen all year round, with peak activity in April. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Roseate Spoonbill?
- The roseate spoonbill is 71–86 cm (28–34 in) long, with a 120–133 cm (47–52 in) wingspan and a body mass of 1.2–1.8 kg (2.6–4.0 lb). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Roseate Spoonbill?
- The Roseate Spoonbill is a large sized bird weighing about 1.5 kg.
- Where can you see a Roseate Spoonbill?
- The Roseate Spoonbill occurs in 35 countries, including the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.
- What birds look similar to a Roseate Spoonbill?
- The Roseate Spoonbill is most easily confused with the Eurasian Spoonbill, the Royal Spoonbill and the African Spoonbill.
- Is the Roseate Spoonbill endangered?
- The Roseate Spoonbill is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Roseate Spoonbill for real
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