Roseate spoonbill

Platalea ajaja

The roseate spoonbill is a pink wading bird with a broad spoon-shaped bill. Diurnal birds feed in shallows and breed in colonies.

Key facts

Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a carnivore animal classified as Bird · Pelecaniformes · Threskiornithidae.
Primary habitats are freshwater · coast, with a range across Neotropical · Nearctic.
Activity is diurnal, sociality is colony, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
The roseate spoonbill is a pink wading bird with a broad spoon-shaped bill.
It uses mudflats, mangroves, marshes, shallow lakes, and coastal lagoons.
Typical lifespan: 8-25 years

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

It uses mudflats, mangroves, marshes, shallow lakes, and coastal lagoons. Shallow feeding water and secure nesting trees are important.

Wingspan is about 120-133 cm and weight about 1.2-1.8 kg. Pink plumage, a pale neck, long legs, and a flattened bill are distinctive.

Active by day, it walks through shallows while sweeping the bill side to side. Feeding groups may mix with other wading birds at colonies.

It is carnivorous, taking small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. The open bill snaps shut when prey is touched underwater.

It nests in colonies, building stick nests in trees or mangroves. Adults bring wetland prey back to the chicks.

Its status is listed as Least Concern. Plumage color is influenced by pigments in food and often reflects wetland food webs.