- Platalea leucorodia
Identification
Breeding adult
- White plumage
- Crest
- Yellow breast patch
- Dark legs
- Black, yellow tipped, bill
Non-breeding
- No crest and no breast patch
Juvenile
- Black tipped primary flight feathers
- Pale bill
Distribution
Southern Eurasia, Spain to Japan, and North Africa.
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
There are 3 subspecies:
- P. l. leucorodia:
- Southern Palearctic to India; winters to central Africa and south-eastern China
- P. l. balsaci:
- Banc d'Arguin (off coast of Mauritania)
- P. l. archeri:
- Coasts of Red Sea and Somalia
Habitat
Wetlands and marshes.
Behaviour
Breeding
It nests in colonies in trees or reedbeds. The clutch consists of 4 eggs.
Diet
The diet includes fish and frogs.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Platalea leucorodia (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Eurasian Spoonbill. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 April 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Eurasian_Spoonbill
External Links
