Spoonbills

Spoonbills are a group of wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, belonging to the genus Platalea. They are best known for their distinctive long, spatulate bills, which are flattened at the tip and used to sweep side to side through shallow water to detect prey. The bill’s sensitive surface helps locate fish, crustaceans, and insects in mud and vegetation. In general, spoonbills have long necks and legs, and their plumage is largely white or pale, with some species showing darker or pinkish tones in breeding plumage.

Spoonbills inhabit wetlands, river margins, mangroves, lakes, and coastal mudflats across parts of Africa, Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas. They tend to feed in shallow water and often forage in flocks or in mixed-species foraging groups. They nest in colonies near water, building crude platforms of vegetation in trees, shrubs, or reedbeds. Both parents take part in incubation and chick rearing, and clutches typically contain a small number of eggs.

Notable members of the genus Platalea include the Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), the African spoonbill (Platalea alba), the Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor), the Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), and the Royal spoonbill (Platalea regia). Distribution and population trends vary by species, with some stable and widespread and others facing threats from habitat loss, disturbance, and pollution. Spoonbills are protected in many regions and are valued indicators of healthy wetland ecosystems.