The Roseate Spoonbill is known to be very wary of Human presence, quite probably because the populations in Florida particularly, where hunted almost to extinction in the mid to late 1800s for their plumage. Metabolism of cartenoid pigments in birds. The Roseate Spoonbill is a very sociable Bird that inhabits its wetland homes with other Roseate Spoonbills, and they are also commonly found in the presence of other waders including Herons, Egrets and Ibises which they are closely related to. To ensure the survival of their eggs, roseate spoonbill couples build thick, protective nests in above-water vegetation. NATURAL DEFENSES: Nest in colonies. It is a resident breeder in South America mostly east of the Andes, and in coastal regions of the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, the Gulf Coast of the United States, and from central Florida's Atlantic coast at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, adjoined with NASA Kennedy Space Center at least as far north as South Carolina's Myrtle Beach. Most species of these birds stand about two and a half feet tall. Gorgeous at a distance and bizarre up close is the Roseate Spoonbill. ... Spoonbill breeding populations were decimated in Florida at the beginning of the 20th century as their feathers were all the rage for ladies hats and fans. Roseate spoonbills live in areas, or habitats, with warm temperatures, shallow and muddy water, and islands. Roseate Spoonbills nest in mangrove trees and they lay between 2 and 5 eggs. In flight in the Pantanal, Brazil(composite image), Foraging roseate spoonbills at Merritt Island, Florida United States, Video of feeding behavior, Merritt Island, Florida United States, Roseate spoonbill at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. A Bowl of Roseate Spoonbills Spoonbills are gregarious birds, feeding together, flying together and congregating in rookeries to raise their young. A 2010 study of mitochondrial DNA of the spoonbills by Chesser and colleagues found that the roseate and yellow-billed spoonbills were each other's closest relatives, and the two were descended from an early offshoot from the ancestors of the other four spoonbill species. The roseate spoonbill is the only spoonbill native to the Western Hemisphere. The roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. PREDATORS: Birds of prey, raccoons and fire ants. The roseate spoonbill nests in shrubs or trees, often mangroves, laying two to five eggs, which are whitish with brown markings. Around 100 years ago, people hunted roseate spoonbills in Florida for their beautiful feathers. [11] Immature birds have white, feathered heads, and the pink of the plumage is paler. [8] Adults have a bare greenish head ("golden buff" when breeding[9]) and a white neck, back and breast (with a tuft of pink feathers in the center when breeding), and are otherwise a deep pink. However, as the six species were so similar morphologically, keeping them within the one genus made more sense.[6]. Interesting Facts The Roseate Spoonbill is a fairly large Bird, making its flying style long and slow. Even the size of the Roseate Spoonbills doesn’t save themselves from the predators present in water and natural surroundings who hunt them for flesh and eggs. They also have long, featherless legs, which they use to wade through shallow waters. It is widely believed that the reason for the bright pink plumage of the Roseate Spoonbill, is due to the algae eaten by the Crustaceans that these Birds consume (in a similar way to the Flamingo but not quite as bright). In the wild, they are known to be particularly shy Birds, with the whole colony known to fly away if startled, but have been known to adapt well to Human disruption when kept in captivity. DIET: Smalll fish, shrimp, insects, snails and slugs. Its upper neck and back are colored white, while the wings and feathers underneath display the more recognizable light shade of pink. Once paired up on coastal islands, both the male and female construct a nest in trees, thick bushes or reeds where up to four eggs are laid per clutch. Locally common in coastal Florida, Texas, and southwest Louisiana, they are usually in small flocks, often associating with other waders. HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 3 lbs. The Roseate Spoonbill is a colonial nester, meaning that they gather in large numbers to produce and rear their young, possibly for protection. Today, the Roseate Spoonbill is listed as an animal that is of Least Concern of becoming extinct in the wild in the immediate future. Not only is their distinctive spoon-like bill useful for catching food though, but there are also very sensitive nerves at the end, which causes the Roseate Spoonbill’s beak to snap shut quickly when it comes into contact with small aquatic organisms. This bird is raised in colonies which serve as a defence against predators. They depended on the island oases to avoid mainland ground predators and … The roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) comes from the United States and South America. Spoonbills build nests on the islands, where the nests are more likely to be safe from predators that live on the mainland. The wings and tail coverts are deep red, along with the legs and the iris of … [7] The tarsus measures 9.7–12.4 cm (3.8–4.9 in), the culmen measures 14.5–18 cm (5.7–7.1 in) and the wing measures 32.3–37.5 cm (12.7–14.8 in) and thus the legs, bill, neck and spatulate bill all appear elongated. The krill is perhaps the most important animal in the marine ecosystem!