English              -           Roseate Spoonbill 

 Portuguese      -           Colhereiro 

 Latin                 -            Platalea ajaja 

The Roseate Spoonbill is a large wading bird known for its pink plumage and distinctive spoon-shaped bill. Its upper neck and back are coloured white, while the wings and feathers underneath display the more recognisable light shade of pink. The wings and tail coverts are deep red, along with the legs and the iris of the eyes. Part of the Roseate Spoonbills head is a distinct yellow-green. When they are young, the birds are duller in appearance, brightening up as they mature. They can reach a height of up to 2.5 feet, weigh up to 1.4 kgs and have a wingspan of up to 4 feet. Male and female Roseate Spoonbills are similar in appearance and colour, although males are slightly larger. While feeding, Roseate Spoonbills utter a low, guttural sound. They are also known to call during breeding displays and when flying.

The Roseate Spoonbill lives in South America, mostly east of the Andes and in coastal regions of the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico and the Gulf Coast of the United States. They are found in coastal marshes, lagoons, swamps, mudflats and mangrove. 

They forage by wading in shallow muddy water, sweeping bill from side to side with their mandibles slightly open, detecting prey by feel. Sometimes picks up food by sight. The Roseate Spoonbill diet consists of small fish such as minnows and killifish, also feeds on shrimp, crayfish, crabs, aquatic insects (especially beetles), mollusks and slugs. Will also eat some plant material, including roots and stems of sedges. 

The Roseate Spoonbill is a sociable bird, and roosts with others of its kind. It nests mostly in trees that overhang water. The nest is usually built by the female with material collected by the male. The male Roseate Spoonbill becomes aggressive and territorial during the breeding season, defending its area against intruders. The female lays a clutch of one to five eggs. Both parents share incubation duties, which last about 22 to 24 days. The newly hatched chicks have mostly pink skin with a sparse covering of white down. Both parents feed the chicks by dribbling regurgitated material into the nestlings upturned bill. After one month, the chick will begin to exercise by clambering through the branches near the nest. May leave nest after 5-6 weeks, capable of strong flight at roughly 7-8 weeks. 

In the past the Roseate Spoonbills have been devastated by hunting. Population numbers dropped dramatically between 1850 and 1890 as a result of hunters selling their feathers for use in fans and hat-making, as well as hunted for meat. Since then, conservation efforts have ensured the survival of this species. Their numbers have increased again and populations globally are now stable. Due to this and also their wide range they are classified as a species of “least concern”. In today’s world though, it’s not the hunters that are threatening the Roseate Spoonbill but development of coastal habitats, climate change and polluted waters are threatening the habitat of this beautiful species.

 Photos of the Roseate Spoonbill were taken at Parque das Aves - Foz do Iguacu - Parana