African Spoonbill

The genus name Platalea derives from Ancient Greek and means "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. Six species are recognised, which although usually placed in a single genus have sometimes been split into three genera.

The breeding bird is all white except for its red legs and face and long grey spatulate bill. It has no crest, unlike the common spoonbill. Immature birds lack the red face and have a yellow bill. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched.

All spoonbills have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side. 

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 storks or herons. The African spoonbill feeds in shallow water, and fishes for various fish, molluscs, amphibians, crustaceans, insects and larvae. 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. Long legs and thin, pointed toes enable it to walk easily through varying depths of water.

Every species of spoonbill is characterized as "friendly" and is known to be gregarious and playful, particularly in groups. All spoonbills protect their young, this points to a need to attune to and care for the vulnerable around us and the inner child within us.

The species is found in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, as well as in the Middle East and Madagascar.  The African spoonbill nests in colonies in trees or reedbeds and inhabits marshy wetlands with open shallow water.  They typically don't live in the same colony as herons or storks.

• Movement Pattern: Nomadic

• Individual Type: Solo

• Population Trend: Stable

• Population: 7,300-73,000

• Locomotion: Versatile

• Habitat: Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Salt Flats; Stone Forest; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Mushroom Fields; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Graveyard Vale; Mountain; Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Subterranean River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Warm Littoral; Cold Littoral; Volcano; Warm Ghost Town; Cold Ghost Town; Ruined Skyscraper.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (Resident): Angola; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo Republic; DR Congo; Côte d'Ivoire; Djibouti; Eritrea; Eswatini; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Kenya; Lesotho; Liberia; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Somalia; North Sudan; Uganda; Zimbabwe

  • Extant (Breeding): Botswana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; South Africa; South Sudan; Tanzania; Zambia

  • Extant (Non-breeding): Yemen

  • Extant & Vagrant (Non-breeding): Oman

  • Extant & Vagrant: Ghana

• Berbania/Hirawhassa: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Reinachos/Ityosel: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Thatrollwa/Delphia: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Sawintir/Everrealm: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Agarathos: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Jotunheim: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

Coming soon

Coming soon

Past and Present Incidents - Individuals

• Terran/Gaian

  • n/a

• Berbanian/Hirawhassan

  • n/a

• Reinachos/Ityoselese

  • n/a

• Delphian/Thatrollwan

  • n/a

• Sawintiran

  • n/a 

• Jotunheim

  • n/a

The Recollections of Queen Arianna - Individuals

• Terran/Gaian

  • n/a

• Berbanian/Hirawhassan

  • n/a

• Reinachos/Ityoselese

  • n/a

• Delphian/Thatrollwan

  • n/a

• Sawintiran

  • n/a

• Jotunheim

  • n/a

See also: none

• Coming soon

Coming soon

• This is first spoonbill ever draw in this year.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_spoonbill

• https://ebird.org/species/afrspo1

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697564/93620935

• https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ivan_turgenev_127435?src=t_bird

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/African-Spoonbill-1141017726