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Roseate Spoonbill

Platalea ajaja

Description:

Gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family.

Habitat:

Gulf Coast of the United States

Notes:

The Roseate Spoonbill is 80 cm (31 in) tall, with a 120–130 cm (47–51 in) wingspan. It has long legs, a long neck, and a long, spatulate bill. Adults have a bare greenish head ("golden buff" when breeding) and a white neck, back, and breast (with a tuft of pink feathers in the center when breeding), and are otherwise a deep pink. The bill is grey. There is no significant sexual dimorphism. Like the American Flamingo, their pink color is diet-derived, consisting of the carotenoid pigment canthaxanthin. Another carotenoid, astaxanthin, can also be found deposited in flight and body feathers. The colors can range from pale pink to bright magenta, depending on age and location. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched. They alternate groups of stiff, shallow wingbeats with glides.

1 Species ID Suggestions

Ava T-B
Ava T-B 12 years ago
Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja Roseate Spoonbill


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83 Comments (1–25)

MichelleMccracken
MichelleMccracken 10 years ago

Thank You, got this while kayaking at cockroach bay inTampa they are beautiful birds

Pradeep Kumar
Pradeep Kumar 10 years ago

Wonderful shot!

Caleb Steindel
Caleb Steindel 10 years ago

great spotting!

MichelleMccracken
MichelleMccracken 11 years ago

Thank you very much

Reza Hashemizadeh
Reza Hashemizadeh 11 years ago

Splendid shot !

MichelleMccracken
MichelleMccracken 11 years ago

And yes these birds are one of my favorites I love spotting them , always a treat

MichelleMccracken
MichelleMccracken 11 years ago

Thank you

MichaelFoisy
MichaelFoisy 11 years ago

Wow, what a beautiful bird!

MichelleMccracken
MichelleMccracken 11 years ago

Oh Thank You, for your comment

patty
patty 11 years ago

Amazing series and bird. Congratulations and thank you for sharing =)

MichelleMccracken
MichelleMccracken 12 years ago

Thanks again every1. I never get tired of seeing these

OnengDyah
OnengDyah 12 years ago

Great picture and beautiful bird...

Nitch
Nitch 12 years ago

amazing shots... :-)

Piali Bopanna
Piali Bopanna 12 years ago

They have such a lovely color

MichelleMccracken
MichelleMccracken 12 years ago

I love these birds. They r beautiful in so many ways

DonnaPomeroy
DonnaPomeroy 12 years ago

Gorgeous

CeciliaTraconis
CeciliaTraconis 12 years ago

That is a beautiful bird.

LucBertrand
LucBertrand 12 years ago

Congratulations Michelle! Wow! What an incredible bird !

EriolSyaoran
EriolSyaoran 12 years ago

So beautiful!

Atul
Atul 12 years ago

superb series and congrats for sotd!!

MichelleMccracken
MichelleMccracken 12 years ago

Thank You , These are one of my favorites to spot and I never tire of photographing them, or just sitting and watching them, Thanks Again, I did very well in the contest, I lost to Paul Hassell a Professional Photographer by about 17 votes, for me it was an honor to have just been picked as a finalist in the contest

Bong Ambutong
Bong Ambutong 12 years ago

Congratulation Michelle for the SOTD....The photograph deserve to be.

Sachin Zaveri
Sachin Zaveri 12 years ago

Congratulations,,,

Yasser
Yasser 12 years ago

Michelle, we were disappointed you didn't win the NWF photo challenge and wanted to make sure your photo earned the recognition it deserved. Congratulations for capturing a beautiful series.

AntónioGinjaGinja
AntónioGinjaGinja 12 years ago

perfect spot,congratulations

MichelleMccracken
Spotted by
MichelleMccracken

Tampa, Florida, United States

Spotted on Aug 6, 2011
Submitted on Sep 27, 2011

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Wild Turkey Bird of Paradise Red-shouldered Hawk (juvenile) Flamingo

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