H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

The Roseate Spoonbill is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family.  It is a resident breeder in South America mostly east of the Andes, and in coastal regions of the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of the United States.

This species feeds in shallow fresh or coastal waters by swinging its bill from side to side as it steadily walks through the water, often in groups. The spoon-shaped bill allows it to sift easily through mud. It feeds on crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, newts and very small fish ignored by larger waders.

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Text and photographs © H.J. Ruiz – Avian 101