Bird

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Also known as Common Spoonbill

Eurasian spoonbills wade through shallow mudflats with their distinctive spatulate bills submerged, sweeping them side to side to catch small aquatic prey by touch. During the breeding season, adults grow a long shaggy crest at the back of the head and a delicate yellowish patch across the chest. Nesting in dense reedbeds or trees near coastal lagoons, these social birds raise their chicks in noisy communal colonies before migrating south for winter.

Wading BirdMigratoryWetland Species

1 / 7

—observations

—countries

—peak records

Least ConcernConservation status

Key facts

Diet & preySmall Fish, Aquatic Insects, Crustaceans

Predators

White-tailed Sea Eagle
Red Fox
Marsh Harrier

ThreatsHabitat loss, wetland drainage, pollution, human disturbance

HabitatsShallow wetlands, coastal lagoons, estuaries, marshes, flooded fields

Life span15–25 years

Classification

FamilyThreskiornithidae
SpeciesPlatalea leucorodia

Range & activity

Range data is not available yet.

Safe observation

Interaction riskLow

Low
Moderate
High
Very high

Why interaction risk is low: Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice: Recognized by bright white plumage, spatulate black bill with a yellow tip, and a shaggy yellow crest during the breeding season.
Support conservation: Avoid approaching nesting sites or roosting flocks; use binoculars or spotting scopes to observe from established hides or trails.

Responsible observation

Observation: Scan shallow mudflats and reedbed margins during low tide or early morning hours.
Disturbance: Keep a respectful distance near breeding colonies, as nesting birds spook easily.
Identification: Look for their unique side to side bill sweeping motion while wading through water.

Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…