Royal Spoonbill

Description:

Platalea regia, commonly known as the royal spoonbill or black-billed spoonbill, is a large wading bird from the family Threskiornithidae, and is an Australian native. This is also a tall bird that stands approximately 80 cm high. White plumage, long legs, and an amazing spoon-shaped bill that acts like a pair of tongs. At this location, the spoonbill diet would consist mainly of small fish and tadpoles, small crustaceans and aquatic insects. "It uses several methods to catch food: slow sweeping from side to side with an open bill, rapid sweeping while walking fast, or even running through the water, as well as dragging, probing or grabbing. Once food is caught, it lifts its bill up and lets the items slide down its throat. It will bash shrimps against hard objects to remove their shells." (Birdlife Australia) This species occurs in intertidal flats and shallows of fresh and saltwater wetlands, and can also be found New Zealand, Indonesia, PNG, and the Solomon Islands. It has also been recorded as a vagrant in New Caledonia. I feel privilege to have seen them this day, because it's not a bird I see that often! PS: Another spoonbill species that is a rare occurrence at Lake Broadwater is the yellow-billed spoonbill (Platalea flavipes). Something to look out for on future visits.

Habitat:

Spotted at the swamp area on the southern side of freshwater Lake Broadwater, which forms part of the Lake Broadwater Conservation Park.... https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/lake-... This region is very flat, and Lake Broadwater is the only large, naturally-occurring freshwater lake on the Darling Downs. Dalby is the nearest town. NB: Just a little over 12 months ago and this lake was completely dry due to the massive drought that Australia experienced. It's wonderful to see how the lake and surrounding bushland has recovered. Birdlife was abundant.

Notes:

The first photo is not the best photo I've ever taken, but thankfully, this site is not about professional photography. It's about recording the spotting and describing habitat. That's what the "H" stands for in NOAH. There was no way I was going to get close to these birds, and my pocket camera has its limitations. In fact, I initially thought these birds were ibis. To make matters worse, the area surrounding the southern shore of the lake is where fresh water feeds in from the alluvial plain, and after several days of rain, it was an absolute quagmire underfoot. Even getting close to the shore was a challenge, but in my mind that's a good thing! The wetland area is a wildlife sanctuary, and this location is a protected zone from recreational activities on the lake. That tends to maintain a sense of "wilderness" in what is otherwise a region of intense agriculture in southern Queensland. I could occasionally smell the fertilizer being laid from nearby cotton farms. It was obvious that the majority of birds here were wary of people, and any sudden movement or disturbance would send them flying! Spoonbills seem to be particularly sensitive, so I wasn't about to push my luck! The last photo also shows a bird hide on the western edge of the swamp. It is an amazing structure and a wonderful place to do some bird spotting, particularly at dusk and dawn. When the sun is higher, however, I prefer to explore on foot.