African spoonbill

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African spoonbill
Kazinga Channel, Kenya

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Threskiornithidae
Genus: Platalea
Species:
P. alba
Binomial name
Platalea alba
Scopoli, 1786
Synonyms

Platalea tenuirostris Temminck, 1820

The African spoonbill (Platalea alba) is a long-legged wading bird[2] of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The species is widespread across Africa and Madagascar, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.[2]

Biology

It lives in marshy wetlands with some open shallow water and nests in colonies in trees or reedbeds. They usually don't share colonies with

crustaceans,[2] insects[2] and larvae.[2] The animal uses its open bill to catch foods by swinging it from side-to-side in the water, which catches foods in its mouth.[2] Long legs and thin, pointed toes enable it to walk easily through varying depths of water.[3]

The African spoonbill is almost unmistakable through most of its

common spoonbill
. Immature birds lack the red face and have a yellow bill. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched.

Breeding

African spoonbill in flight
MHNT

The African spoonbill begins breeding in the winter, which lasts until spring.[2] During the breeding season, adult male African Spoonbills develop more plumage and brighter coloration.[4] The spoonbill's nest, generally located in trees above water, is built from sticks and reeds and lined with leaves.[3] Three to five eggs are laid by the female birds, usually during the months of April or May.[2] The eggs are incubated by both parents for up to 29 days, and upon hatching the young birds are cared for by both parents for around 20 to 30 days.[2] The birds are ready to leave the nest soon afterward, and begin flying after another four weeks.[2]

The African spoonbill is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (

AEWA
) applies.

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22697564A93620935.en
    . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "African Spoonbill." Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Honoluluzoo.org. Accessed June 2011.
  3. ^ a b ""African Spoonbill Fact Sheet, Lincoln Park Zoo"". Archived from the original on 2015-12-20. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  4. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1983.tb03118.x
    .

Further reading

  • Grzimek, H. C. Bernhard, ed. (1972). Grzimeks Animal Life Encyclopedia of Birds. New York, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
  • Middleton, Alex L. A. and Dr. Christopher M. Perrins, eds. (1985). The Encyclopedia of Birds. New York, New York: Facts on File, Inc.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Platalea alba.
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