Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia   [Linnaeus, 1758]

Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links

For details point at or click the button; for sources point at the button

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Threskiornithidae
BTO Codes: NB, SPOON EURING No: 1440
Number in Britain: 75 records/year
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: 2 Concern, most in Europe; Rare
Global: Least Concern ( Details )
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Scarce Breeder, Scarce Visitor
Subspecies: leucorodia recorded in Britain (of 3 subsp. in the world)
.
Length: 85 cm Wingspan: 122 cm Weight: -    
Scientific name from: L.: platalea=the Spoonbill and Gr.: leukos + erodios=a heron
World Distribution: BREEDS: local in s Europe, c&s Asia & n Africa, WINTERS: south to Mediterranean, s Asia & c Africa
Habitat: Lakes, marshes, swamps & mudflats
Diet: Insects, small fish, crustaceans, amphibians, bill swept from side to side
TitBit: The bizarre spoon-shaped bill is used for feeding, swept back and forth while being held slightly open, it filters out small invertebrates disturbed from the sediment by birds vigorously paddling their feet.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: No population trend available
Distribution: No distribution maps available
British Population Size:
    Passage: 75 individuals
    Summer: 0 to 4 pairs in 1998-02
    First Record: 7th Century
    First Breeding Record: NW England (after extinct 17th Century) 1999
    Conservation Status: AMBER because Species of European Concern, Small Non-breeding Population,
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER     1996-2001 GREEN  
   Races of Concern: leucorodia AMBER (European Concern)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
    Summer: 6400 to 12 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(I), WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA, CITES(II)
Survey Results:

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 67 x 46 mm Egg Weight: 76.0 g (of which 9 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 0
Clutch Size: 3 - 4 eggs
Incubation: 21- 25 days   by the: Male + Female
Fledging: 45 - 50days as: Altricial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Does not breed in Britain, or too few Nest Records
Number of Broods: 1
Number Ringed: 0 (Annual Totals)
Adult Survival: No data
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: Typical Lifespan: No data
Maximum Recorded Age: Too few birds ringed
Summary of Ringing Recoveries       

Biometrics

Ring Size: Check with Ringing Unit
Wing Length Adult: Insufficient Data
Juvenile: Insufficient Data
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data
Weight Adult: Insufficient Data
Juvenile: Insufficient Data
Male: Insufficient Data
Female: Insufficient Data

Other Names

Eurasian Spoonbill
Gaelic: Gob-leathann Welsh: Llwybig
Danish: Skestork Dutch: Lepelaar
Finnish: Kapustahaikara French: Spatule blanche
German: Löffler Hungarian: Kanalasgém
Icelandic: Flatnefur Irish: Leitheadach
Italian: Spatola Norwegian: Skjestork
Polish: Warzecha zwyczajna Portuguese: Colhereiro
Spanish: Espátula Swedish: Skedstork

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Hancock, J. 1992 Storks, ibises and spoonbills of the world Academic Press, London [598.463 HAN]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead