
Eurasian Spoonbill
Class: Birds
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Threskiornithidae
Genus: Platalea
Species: Leucorodia
Geographic distribution: Eurasian continent and Indian subcontinent
Habitat: Large wetlands, large bodies of shallow open water.
Size / Wingspan: 95 cm / 115 to 135 cm
Lifespan: 20 to 25 years
Weight: 1,200 to 1,700 g
Sexual Maturity: 3-4 years
Incubation: 24 days
Clutch: 3 to 5 eggs
Diet: Small fish, amphibians and their larvae, small lizards, crustaceans, mollusks, and various insects.
Protection Status: IUCN CR Status – Least Concern
Description
The white spoonbill is characterized by its long, broad beak ending in a distinctive spatulate shape. To feed, it sweeps the mud with its beak, stopping as soon as it detects a presence in the moving water.
THREATS AND PRESERVATION
The main threat to this species comes from thedeterioration of its nesting and feeding habitats,as well as disturbance caused by human activity.