5

Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) Alternate name(s): "(Common) Spoonbill" German name(s): "Löffler" Size: 80-90 cm; wing span 1.15-1.35 m Body mass: 1.13-1.95 kg Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.35-0.50

Europe: Family Group 5 Family Group 5 Table Great Egret Little Egret Western Cattle Egret Grey Heron Purple Heron Striated Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Squacco Heron Green Heron Eurasian Bittern Little Bittern Eurasian Spoonbill Glossy Ibis White Stork Black Stork Greater Flamingo Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names German birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Eurasian Spoonbills are medium-sized aquatic birds. Their most distinguishing feature is the spoon-shaped bill. During the breeding season they have a pale-yellow nuchal crest. They also have a pale-yellow chin patch and the area around the eyes is also pale-yellow, in addition to a pale-yellow neck band that extends into a pale-yellow front (breast, belly). In eclipse the nuchal crest and any pale-yellow hues in the plumage disappear, leaving Eurasian Spoonbills entirely white. The irises are orange-brown. The bill is black, with a pale-yellow edge and tip. The legs and feet are black. Juveniles resemble non-breeding adults, but with a horn-coloured bill and black wingtips.

Taxonomy, classification See Eurasian Spoonbill at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Eurasian Spoonbill is available HERE . Eurasian Spoonbills have a wide-ranging distribution, from the South coast of England and the continental North Sea coast, the northern Mediterranean coastal fringe and parts of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea coastlines all the way to Japan in the East. Nominate race "leucorodia" occupies almost the entire range, except the Canary Islands off Mauretania (race "balsaci") and the Red Sea coast and Somalian coastline (race "archeri"). In Europe Eurasian Spoonbills are found as winter visitors around the Mediterranean Sea, while their breeding grounds are located in parts of southern Iberia (there is a permanent population on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar), the coastline of the Bay of Biscay and the Dutch/German/Danish North Sea coastline. There are also breeding populations along the (primarily northern) coasts of both the Caspian and the Black Sea. Inland breeders are found along the major rivers to the Caspian Sea from the North, in southern parts of the Balkans and along parts of the river Danube, in particular the Hungarian Pusta. Eurasian Spoonbills are found in both freshwater and saline habitats, such as e.g. freshwater lakes, estuaries, intertidal wetlands and saltmarshes. They are usually found in (near-)coastal areas.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "leucorodia" J. Pires reports finding Eurasian Spoonbills, race "leucorodia", regularly in the region around Mora, Lisbon and the Tejo estuary, Portugal. While in the Tejo estuary they are winter visitors, elsewhere in the river valleys of the region they have their breeding grounds. H. Dahlem-Senger spotted Eurasian Spoonbills, race "leucorodia", between Spiekeroog and Neuharlingersiel, Ostfriesland, Germany, in June 2021. In May 2023, H. Dahlem-Senger found Eurasian Spoonbills, race "leucorodia", nesting at Parc Natural de s'Albufera de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain. S. Cuturilov and A. Sarok found Eurasian Spoonbills, race "leucorodia", around fishponds at Becej, Vajvodina, Serbia, in March 2025. Others were seen in Vojvodina, Serbia, in the timeframe 2010-2024.

Photos

Race "leucorodia"

ADULT

BREEDING

PAIR

(Near-)frontal view of two Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage; note the nuchal plumes (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral portrait of two Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage; note the nuchal plumes (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Lateral view of a pair of Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alhos Vedros, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]

Lateral view of a pair of Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage sifting through shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal de Alhos Vedros, Moita, Setubal, Portugal, February 2022]

Frontal view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal de Alhos Vedros, Moita, Setubal, Portugal, February 2022]

Near-frontal view of Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Spiekeroog and Neuharlingersiel, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]

Near-frontal view of a small mob of Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Becej, Vajvodina, Serbia, in March 2025]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage; it still has its throat and chest patches, but the nuchal plumes are gone (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Couco, Coruche, Portugal, July 2021]

Lateral to dorsal views of Eurasian Spoonbills in fresh breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2018]

Small flock of Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage with at least one juvenile; on the left, for comparison, a White Stork (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Varzea Redonda, Alandroal, Portugal, June 2019]

Near-lateral/ventral view of Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage in flight with a juvenile in the middle
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, July 2020]

Lateral view of Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Lateral view of 3 Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage in flight; all 3 are in a primary wing moult
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagoa dos Patos, Alvito, Beja, Portugal, November 2021]

Lateral/ventral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, July 2020]

NON-BREEDING

PAIR

Frontal view of Eurasian Spoonbills in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, Ponte de Sor, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]

Lateral view of Eurasian Spoonbills in non-breeding plumage with a juvenile in tow (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Zambujal, Palmela, Setubal, Portugal, March 2020]

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in non-breeding plumage; the nuchal plumes are just starting to reappear
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sado river estuary, Zambujal, Palmela, Portugal, January 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in non-breeding plumage; the nuchal plumes are just starting to reappear
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2019]

Dorsal view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

(Part of a) large flock of Eurasian Spoonbills in non-breeding plumage resting in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2019]

Small flock of Eurasian Spoonbills in non-breeding plumage resting in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Small flock of Eurasian Spoonbills in non-breeding plumage resting in shallow water together with a family of Black Storks (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2015]

Flock of Eurasian Spoonbills roosting on a sandbank, together with other waders (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2015]

Close-up lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ribeira Enguias, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2023]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2015]

Overwintering flock of Eurasian Spoonbills in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo Estuary, Portugal, December 2017]

Ventral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Zotes del Paramo-Gravera, Leon, Castilla y Leon, Spain, July 2022]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral/ventral view of an immature(?) Eurasian Spoonbill; the wing tips are still black, but the bill is turning dark and the throat is starting to show breeding colours (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, July 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of immature(?) Eurasian Spoonbills - one is banded, the other is working on its preparations for landing; looks a bit like a hitch kick... (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ria de Alvor, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, Couco, Coruche, Portugal, July 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[ZPE de Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, July 2022]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Direct near-lateral comparison of a juvenile(?) Eurasian Spoonbill, back, and a Little Egret in breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas da Fuseta, Olhao, Algarve, Portugal, November 2021]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Lagoa de Melides, Grandola, Setubal, Portugal, October 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2013]

Near-lateral/ventral view of adult (black bills) with juvenile Eurasian Spoonbills (horn-coloured bills) in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of an adult, 2nd from top, with three juvenile Eurasian Spoonbills in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of two juvenile Eurasian Spoonbills in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Herdade do Esporao, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Evora, Portugal, February 2022]

Ventral view of an adult, left, and a juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2020]

Additional information

We have also taken some photos of Eurasian Spoonbills, race "leucorodia", in Oman.

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - ?

Eggs: 3 - 4

Incubation period: 24 - 25 days

Fledging age: 45 - 50 days

Nest building: Female & male

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

Male Eurasian Spoonbills collect the nesting material, while females use it to actually build the nest. They nest in small colonies, usually without other aquatic species present.

Nest

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks, twigs, lined with other plant material

Height above ground: 0 - 5 m

Close-up frontal view of a Eurasian Spoonbills chick in its nest (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Pair of Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding plumage on their nest (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Eurasian Spoonbills nesting in a colonial nesting tree together with other waders; adult in breeding plumage with nestling
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]

Eurasian Spoonbill nest, far right, with a second nest by White Storks near it (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

Eggs

Size: 72(?) x 48(?) mm

Colour: Matt grey, with sparse grey/brown speckles

Shape: Long tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Covey/flock

Apart from known sites both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar, Eurasian Spoonbills are migratory. Europe they are summer breeding migrants to the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea coastal fringe and to south-eastern Europe (in particular the Hungarian Pusta and the northern coastline of the Black Sea, including the Danube delta). In central Mediterranean coastal areas and parts of western Iberia they overwinter. During the winter months, Eurasian Spoonbills can form large flocks.

Large flock of Eurasian Spoonbills resting by the water's edge (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mondego estuary, Murraceira, Figueira da Foz, Coimbra, Portugal, November 2021]

Flock of resting Eurasian Spoonbills (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2025]

Lateral view of a small flock of Eurasian Spoonbills, mostly in breeding plumage, congregating during the breeding season (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, Ponte de Sor, Portalegre, Portugal, May 2022]

Lateral view of part of a flock of Eurasian Spoonbills seen during the breeding season (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Trancao river estuary, Loures, Lisbon, Portugal, July 2024]

Food, Diet

Eurasian Spoonbills feed on small animals caught in their bill while sifting through shallow water.

Lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill in breeding plumage taking large prey, a crayfish (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, Ponte de Sor, Portalegre, Portugal, April 2023]

Lateral view of a Eurasian Spoonbill gobbling up its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Eurasian Spoonbills feeding in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Embalse de Los Canchales, near Montijo, Spain, August 2019]

Lateral view of a pair of Eurasian Spoonbills sifting through shallow water; the bird on the right still has the nuchal plumes of its (worn) breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2018]

Near-dorsal view of 3 juvenile Eurasian Spoonbills sifting through shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal de Alhos Vedros, Moita, Setubal, Portugal, May 2022]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.