African spoonbill
{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = African spoonbill
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| image = African spoonbill (Platalea alba).jpg
| image_caption = Kazinga Channel, Uganda
| taxon = Platalea alba
| authority = Scopoli, 1786
| synonyms =
Platalea tenuirostris Temminck, 1820
}}
The African spoonbill (Platalea alba) is a long-legged wading bird[http://www.honoluluzoo.org/african_spoonbill.htm "African Spoonbill."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707001812/http://www.honoluluzoo.org/african_spoonbill.htm |date=July 7, 2011 }} [http://www.honoluluzoo.org Honoluluzoo.org]. Accessed June 2011. of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The species is widespread across Africa and Madagascar, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
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 storks or herons. The African spoonbill feeds in shallow water, and fishes for various fish, molluscs, amphibians, crustaceans, insects and larvae. The animal will swing its open bill side-to-side in the water; when something touches the inside of the bill, the bill snaps shut, catching the prey. Long legs and thin, pointed toes enable it to walk easily through varying depths of water.{{Cite web |url=http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet/african-spoonbill |title="African Spoonbill Fact Sheet, Lincoln Park Zoo" |access-date=2011-07-08 |archive-date=2015-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220190408/http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet/african-spoonbill |url-status=dead }}
The African spoonbill is almost unmistakable through most of its range. 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.
Breeding
File:African Spoonbill-001.jpg
File:Platalea alba MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.61.5.jpg]]
The African spoonbill begins breeding in the winter, which lasts until spring. During the breeding season, adult male African Spoonbills develop more plumage and brighter coloration.{{cite journal |last1=Kahl |first1=M. P. |title=Displays of the African Spoonbill Platalea Alba |journal=Ibis |date=July 2008 |volume=125 |pages=324–338|doi=10.1111/j.1474-919X.1983.tb03118.x }} The spoonbill's nest, generally located in trees above water, is built from sticks and reeds and lined with leaves. Three to five eggs are laid by the female birds, usually during the months of April or May. 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. The birds are ready to leave the nest soon afterward, and begin flying after another four weeks.
The African spoonbill is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
References
{{Reflist}}
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
{{commons category}}
- African Spoonbill - [http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/095.pdf Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds].
{{Threskiornithidae}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q512348}}