# Roseate Spoonbill (*Platalea ajaja*)

> The roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a vivid pink wading bird with a flat, spoon-shaped bill for sweeping shallow water. It feeds in Gulf Coast mangroves from the United States through the Caribbean to South America, weighs about 1.2 kg, and is listed Least Concern.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Coastal wetlands from the US Gulf Coast through the Caribbean to South America.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/roseate-spoonbill/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Pelecaniformes
- **Family:** Threskiornithidae
- **Genus:** Platalea

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Platalea ajaja |
| Diet | Carnivore (small fish and invertebrates) |
| Habitat | Mangroves and coastal lagoons |
| Lifespan | 15–20 years |
| Weight | 1.0–1.5 kg |
| Top speed | up to 35 km/h |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Spoon-shaped sweeping bill

The bill sweeps side to side through murky water, snapping shut when touch receptors detect shrimp, small fish, and aquatic insects. Pink colour comes partly from carotenoid pigments in crustacean prey.

## Mangrove and lagoon feeder

Birds forage in tidal flats, lagoons, and mangrove shallows, often in small flocks. They roost in trees and nest in mangrove islands or swamp islands in noisy colonies with ibises and herons.

## Gulf Coast to South America

Coastal wetlands from Texas and Florida through the Caribbean and northern South America hold core populations. Salinity, water depth, and prey pulses shape where flocks concentrate.

## Habitat protection helps

Least Concern after recovering from nineteenth-century plume hunting. Mangrove clearing and altered freshwater flows still threaten local colonies, but protected coastal refuges support stable numbers.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why are roseate spoonbills pink?

Diet carotenoids from shrimp and other crustaceans tint their feathers, similar to flamingos but usually paler rose-pink.

### How does the spoon bill work?

The flattened tip sweeps through water; sensitive receptors trigger a snap when prey contacts the bill.

### Where can you see roseate spoonbills in the US?

Coastal Texas, Louisiana, and Florida — especially Everglades and Gulf Coast refuges.

### Do spoonbills nest in trees?

Yes — they build stick nests in mangroves or swamp trees, often in mixed colonies with other wading birds.

### Are roseate spoonbills related to flamingos?

No — spoonbills are ibis relatives in Threskiornithidae; pink colour is a dietary coincidence, not close kinship.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/roseate-spoonbill/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.