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Difference between revisions of "African Spoonbill" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:African_Spoonbill.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|rudydbn|rudydbn}}]]
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[[Image:African_Spoonbill.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|rudydbn|rudydbn}} <br />Botannical Gardens, Durban, September 2004]]
 
;[[:Category:Platalea|Platalea]] alba
 
;[[:Category:Platalea|Platalea]] alba
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==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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Length 75-90 cm, mass 1.45-1.89 kg.
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90–91 cm (35½-35¾ in), mass 1.45-1.89 kg.<br />
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'''Breeding Adult''':
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*Bill is spoon-shaped and blue-grey above, with a red edge
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*Facial skin is red grading to yellow on the chin and throat
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*Plumage is white
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*Eyes are pale blue
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*Legs and feet are red.
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==Distribution==
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Sub-Saharan [[Africa]]<br />
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'''Western Africa''': [[Mauritania]], [[Senegambia]], [[Senegal]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Guinea]], [[Mali]], [[Sierra Leone]], [[Liberia]], [[Ivory Coast]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Togo]], [[Benin]], [[Nigeria]], [[Niger]], [[Chad]], [[Cameroon]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], [[Gabon]], [[Congo]], [[Angola]]<br />
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'''Eastern Africa''': [[Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br />
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'''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[Lesotho]], [[eSwatini]]<br />
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'''African Islands''': [[Madagascar]]
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[[Image:12368African Spoonbill0046.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|rudydbn|rudydbn}}<br />Botannical Gardens, Durban, June 2005 ]]
  
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'''Breeding Adult''': The distinctive bill is spoon-shaped and blue-grey above, with a red edge. The bare face is red grading to yellow on the chin and throat; plumage is white. Eyes are pale blue and legs and feet are red.
 
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==Distribution==
 
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Sub-Saharan [[Africa]].
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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Monotypic
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This is a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
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==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Shallow aqatic habitats.
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Inland lakes, floodplains, reservoirs and marshes. Occasionally seen in coastal lagoons
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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The diet includes various fish, frogs and other water creatures.
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====Diet====
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The diet consists of various fish, frogs and other water creatures.
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A platform nest is built from sticks or reeds, lined with leaves, placed in a tree near water, or in a swamp, reeds, rocks, marsh plants or cliffs.  3-5 spotted red, brown or blue eggs are laid and incubated by both parents for 21-29 days.  The young fledge after 20-30 days.
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====Breeding====
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A platform nest is built from sticks or reeds and lined with leaves. It is usually in tree near water, but may be on the ground among rocks, or on a cliff.  The clutch consists of three to five spotted red, brown or blue eggs which is incubated by both parents for 21-29 days.  The young fledge after 20-30 days.
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}#Avibase
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#Honolulu Zoo
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#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved September 2016)
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{{ref}}
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|"Platalea alba" {{!}} "African Spoonbill" }}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
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==External Links==
 
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{{GSearch|Platalea+alba}}
 
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Platalea]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Platalea]]

Latest revision as of 23:24, 8 September 2023

Photo by rudydbn
Botannical Gardens, Durban, September 2004
Platalea alba

Identification

90–91 cm (35½-35¾ in), mass 1.45-1.89 kg.
Breeding Adult:

  • Bill is spoon-shaped and blue-grey above, with a red edge
  • Facial skin is red grading to yellow on the chin and throat
  • Plumage is white
  • Eyes are pale blue
  • Legs and feet are red.

Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, eSwatini
African Islands: Madagascar

Photo by rudydbn
Botannical Gardens, Durban, June 2005

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].

Habitat

Inland lakes, floodplains, reservoirs and marshes. Occasionally seen in coastal lagoons

Behaviour

Diet

The diet consists of various fish, frogs and other water creatures.

Breeding

A platform nest is built from sticks or reeds and lined with leaves. It is usually in tree near water, but may be on the ground among rocks, or on a cliff. The clutch consists of three to five spotted red, brown or blue eggs which is incubated by both parents for 21-29 days. The young fledge after 20-30 days.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Honolulu Zoo
  4. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved September 2016)

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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