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: Resident along the Pacific Coast of Mexico south and along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Yucatan Peninsula. Also found in southern Florida and throughout the West Indies. May stray farther inland during migration. 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: American Flamingo is larger and has a short, thick, hooked bill and black on wings.