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Eurasian SpoonbillAlternate name(s): "(Common) Spoonbill" ![]() Size: 80-90 cm; wing span 1.15-1.3 m Weight: 1.13-1.95 kg |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "leucorodia"
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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PAIR |
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 |
Near-frontal view of Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Spiekeroog and Neuharlingersiel, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]
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]
Lateral view of Eurasian Spoonbills in breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, 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 J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, July 2020]
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]
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NON-BREEDING |
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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]
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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]
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]
Ventral view of an adult, left, and a juvenile
Eurasian Spoonbill in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2020]
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Additional information |
We have also taken some photos of Eurasian Spoonbills, race "leucorodia", in Oman.
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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.
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Nest |
Type: Basket | Material: Sticks, twigs, lined with other plant material | Height above ground: 0 - 5 m |
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]
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Eggs |
Size: 72(?) x 48(?) mm | Colour: Matt grey, with sparse grey/brown speckles | Shape: Long tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
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]
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Food, Diet |
Eurasian Spoonbills feed on small animals caught in their bill while sifting through shallow water.
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]