Roseate Spoonbill

A Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a large wading bird native to the Americas. It is known for its distinctive long, spoon-shaped bill and its vibrant pink plumage, which makes it one of the most recognizable birds in its habitat.

The Roseate Spoonbill has a long, slender body with a long neck and legs. Its plumage is a brilliant rose-pink color, with patches of a deeper red on its wings and breast. The most defining feature is its spatulate, or spoon-shaped, bill, which is grayish in color and has a unique shape perfectly adapted for its feeding style.

Roseate Spoonbills are found in coastal wetlands, marshes, estuaries, and mangrove swamps in a range that includes the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. They are filter feeders, and their diet consists of small fish, shrimp, crabs, and aquatic insects. The pink color of their feathers comes from pigments in the crustaceans they eat, similar to how flamingos get their pink color.

The Roseate Spoonbill's unique bill is a key part of its feeding strategy. They wade in shallow water and sweep their partially opened bill from side to side, using their sensitive bill to feel for prey in the murky water. When they feel a fish or invertebrate, they snap their bill shut to capture it. They are social birds that often feed and roost in flocks.