- Roseate Spoonbill
Taxobox
name = Roseate Spoonbill
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
image_width = 240px
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Ciconiiformes
familia =Threskiornithidae
genus = "Platalea "
species = "P. ajaja"
binomial = "Platalea ajaja"
binomial_authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)
synonyms = "Ajaja ajaja"The Roseate Spoonbill ("Platalea ajaja", sometimes separated in the
monotypic genus "Ajaja") is a wadingbird of theibis andspoonbill familyThreskiornithidae . It is a mainly resident breeder inSouth America , theCaribbean , and the Gulf coast of theUSA .The Roseate Spoonbill trees, often
mangrove s, laying 2-5 eggs. It is 80 cm tall, with a 120-130 cm wingspan. It is long-legged, long-necked and has a long, spatulate bill. Adults have a bare greenish head, white neck, breast and back, and are otherwise a deep pink. The bill is grey.Sexes are similar, but immature birds have white, feathered heads and the pink of the
plumage is paler. The bill is yellowish or pinkish. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched. In 2006, a banded bird 16 years old was discovered, the oldest known individual. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060505/ap_on_sc/oldest_spoonbill;_ylt=AsTC8ysAMCjgrhFIjXzjRmJxieAA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MzV0MTdmBHNlYwM3NTM-]This species feeds in shallow fresh or coastal waters on
fish ,crustaceanes and shrimp and ( maybe ) other water creatures, swinging its bill from side to side as it steadily walks through the water, often in groups.Gallery
References
* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* "National Geographic" "Field Guide to the Birds of North America" ISBN 0-7922-6877-6External links
* [http://audubon-print.com/roseate-spoonbill.html Roseate Spoonbill by John Audubon]
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/birdguide/pool/tags/Platalea%20ajaja Field Guide on Flickr]
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