Fauna
Bird

Black-faced Spoonbill

Platalea minor

Also known as Lesser Spoonbill

Black-faced spoonbills sweep their distinctively flattened, spatulate bills side to side through shallow water, using sensitive tactile nerve endings to snatch aquatic prey. During the breeding season, adults sprout a rich yellow chest patch and a flowing bushy crest behind their dark bare faces. These highly gregarious wading birds depend on a delicate network of East Asian coastal mudflats, estuaries, and offshore rocky islets to survive.

Wading BirdMigratoryCoastal
Black-faced Spoonbill reference1 / 7
Cp9asngf / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
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VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySmall fish, Shrimp, Aquatic insects
Predators
  • Large raptors
  • Corvids
  • Snakes
ThreatsCoastal development, wetland reclamation, industrial pollution, and human disturbance
HabitatsCoastal mudflats, estuaries, mangroves, and artificial fish ponds
Life span15–20 years
Classification
  1. FamilyThreskiornithidae
  2. SpeciesPlatalea minor
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe from a distance at coastal wetlands.
What to notice
Look for pure white plumage paired with a black spatulate beak and a completely bare black face.
Support conservation
Maintain a generous distance using spotting scopes, avoiding any noise or movement that flushes feeding or roosting flocks.
Responsible observation
  • Keep Distance: Maintain a quiet buffer of at least 100 meters on mudflats to avoid flushing feeding flocks.
  • Observe Foraging: Look for their distinctive side-to-side bill sweeping motion in shallow coastal waters.
  • Visit Key Sites: Look for them at protected reserves in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or South Korea during winter.
Related species
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