The striking Roseate Spoonbill is one of my favorite birds.
I find it fascinating, with its striking colors and funny shaped bill (hence its name), it really is a sight to be seen!
My husband came home (a while ago now), and was so excited, saying “I’ve seen a flamingo, I’ve seen a flamingo!”, to which I replied, “no, you haven’t”. This bird could quite easily be mistaken as one, and feeds very similar to a flamingo (except with its spatula shaped bill), in the marshes, tidal flats, lagoons and mangroves, sifting the mud and water for small fish, mollusks, shrimp and insects.
They are medium sized water birds, measuring 28-34 inches (71-86 cm) long with a height of 32 inches (81 cm), and have bright red eyes.
In the late 1800/early 1900’s these birds were hunted and slaughtered for their feathers and frequently marketed for ladies’ fans. Thankfully with legal protection, these birds made a comeback and once again can be seen in various coastal spots (& some inland too, occasionally – see our blog post on Orlando Wetlands where they sometimes visit).
They nest in shrubs or mangroves and can lay between 2-5 eggs. The babies are white and pale pink in color with a yellowish/pinkish bill. Both parents feed the young and they may leave the nest around 6 weeks old, with capability of strong flight at 8 weeks old. The young sometimes fall prey to turkey vultures and bald eagles as well as raccoons.
They can be frequently seen around Cape Canaveral and Black Pointe Drive on the east coast, and I’ve also seen them on Sanibel Island near Sarasota on the Gulf Coast.
It is awesome if you can get to see birds like these in their wild habitat😊