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Bird name:

Roseate Spoonbill

Platalea ajaja

Order

CICONIIFORMES

Family

Ibises (Threskiornithidae)

Code 4

ROSP

Code 6

PLAAJA

ITIS

174941

Breeding Location:

Seashore, rocky or sandy, Open landscapes



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial



Breeding Population:

Fairly common, but local



Egg Color:

White spotted with brown



Number of Eggs:

1 - 5



Incubation Days:

22 - 24



Egg Incubator:

Both sexes



Nest Material:

Platform with deep hollow in center.



Migration:

Some migrate



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General

Roseate Spoonbill: Large ibis with pink body and white upper back and neck. Bill is long, gray, and spatulate. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is white with a hint of pink and has yellow bill.

Range and Habitat

Roseate Spoonbill: Found on the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, and southern Florida; also in the American tropics. Preferred habitats include mangroves, saltwater lagoons, and large, shallow lakes.

Breeding and Nesting

Roseate Spoonbill: One to five brown spotted white eggs are laid in a bulky nest made of sticks and built in a low bush or tree. Incubation ranges from 22 to 24 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Roseate Spoonbill: Eats minnows, small crustaceans, bits of plants, and insects; forages by swishing its spoon-like bill from side to side in shallow, muddy water.

Vocalization

Roseate Spoonbill: While feeding, utters a low, guttural sound.

Similar Species

Roseate Spoonbill: Flamingo is larger and has a short, thick, hooked bill and black on wings.

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4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX