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Yellow-billed SpoonbillAlternate name(s): "Yellow-legged Spoonbill" Size: 75-90 cm Weight: 1.7-2.0 kg |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Frontal view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in emerging
breeding plumage
gobbling up its prey
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]
Near-frontal view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in emerging
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2023]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in partial
breeding plumage
feeding in murky water
[Tiger Bay wetlands, Warren, NSW, April 2017]
Close-up lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in breeding
plumage (note the
spiny feathers and black tendrils) roosting in a dead tree in a
swamp
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, August 2013]
Lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, July 2022]
Lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in breeding
plumage on a
river bank
[Narrabri, NSW, February 2008]
Close-up lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in partial
breeding plumage
[Tiger Bay wetlands, Warren, NSW, April 2017
Near-dorsal view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
This Yellow-billed Spoonbill already had its breeding
plumage in June
2011, in the middle of winter in inland NSW
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2011]
Yellow-billed Spoonbills in worn breeding
plumage
at the end of the breeding season, resting in shallow water
with their offspring
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, March 2018]
Dorsal view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2011]
This Yellow-billed Spoonbill was seen just before touchdown
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2011]
Yellow-billed Spoonbill in direct comparison with a
Royal Spoonbill
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2020]
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NON-BREEDING |
Full-frontal view of a resting Yellow-billed Spoonbill in
non-breeding plumage
[Pilliga, NSW, July 2018]
Frontal view of Yellow-billed Spoonbills in non-breeding
plumage
[Pilliga, NSW, February 2019]
Near-lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill, right, and a
Royal Spoonbill,
both in non-breeding plumage
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, July 2017]
Near-lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in non-breeding
plumage
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2011]
Lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in non-breeding
plumage; note
the dull colours of the facial mask and the scarcity of hackles
and tendrils
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, June 2011]
Dorsal view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, August 2015]
Dorsal view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in non-breeding
plumage, now with a
friendly smile for the photographer
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, August 2015]
Three Yellow-billed Spoonbills roosting together with one
Royal Spoonbill
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, May 2013]
Lateral view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in non-breeding
plumage
in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill in non-breeding
plumage
gliding above water
[Near Bourke, NSW, September 2012]
Direct comparison between a Yellow-billed Spoonbill (front right)
and a Royal Spoonbill,
both in non-breeding plumage
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2011]
Yellow-billed Spoonbill (left)
and White-necked Heron,
both in non-breeding plumage,
both looking pinkish, either because of new feathers or possibly from
contact with red algae (the photo
was taken around mid-day, not in mellow sunlight around dusk or dawn)
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, July 2017]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-frontal view of a preening juvenile Yellow-billed Spoonbill;
note the absence of a facial mask
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Clifton, Bairnsdale, East Gippsland, VIC, August 2017]
Lateral view of a juvenile Yellow-billed Spoonbill
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Clifton, Bairnsdale, East Gippsland, VIC, August 2017]
Here what looks like a family of Yellow-billed Spoonbills, with three
dependants, and a Royal
Spoonbill on the right; note the absence of a facial mask in the
young Yellow-billed Spoonbills
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2011]
Yellow-billed Spoonbills with a juvenile bird on the right
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, January 2018]
Yellow-billed Spoonbill with two juveniles
[Burren Junction, NSW, July 2021]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Aug - Nov | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 20 - 25 days | Fledging age: ca. 30 - 40 days |
Given the right conditions, Yellow-billed Spoonbills can breed any time of the year. The breeding season depends on geographic latitude. In the tropical north it peaks around March-May, whereas elsewhere it peaks around August-November.
Nest building: Male & female? | Incubation: Male & female | Dependent care: Male & female |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Sticks, twigs, bark | Height above ground: 0 - 20 m |
Yellow-billed Spoonbills nest in freshwater wetlands.
Yellow-billed Spoonbill on its nest at Whittaker's Lagoon near
Moree, NSW (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 71 x 45 mm | Colour: Creamy white | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair/family |
When the water depth is right, Yellow-billed Spoonbills can often be
seen sifting through shallow water in small groups
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2014]
These spoonbills were caught by us napping, with two Yellow-billed
Spoonbills lying down for a rest during the day, rather than just
standing on one leg, with their bill tucked between the wings
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, August 2017]
Who needs a sandbank or a mudflat for roosting? When the last tourist
is gone, a parking lot covered with crusher dust will do
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, November 2017]
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Food, Diet |
Yellow-billed Spoonbills feed on small animals, such as crustacians, snails and insects, but also fish, caught in their bill while sifting through shallow water.
This Yellow-billed Spoonbill was observed by us at it caught
a yabbie (fresh water cray fish), brought it to the water's
edge for rinsing...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2017]
... before thrashing it, probably to remove the shears, and
then devouring it
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2017]
Yellow-billed Spoonbill feeding in a shallow lake
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2011]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
We have not yet recorded a call of a Yellow-billed Spoonbill, but have recorded wing beats.
ybspoon_20180120.m4a | (NW NSW) | Departure (family of 4) | © MD |
More Yellow-billed Spoonbill sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.