African spoonbill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids African spoonbill |
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| Kazinga Channel, Kenya | |
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Platalea tenuirostris Temminck, 1820 |
The African spoonbill (Platalea alba) is a large wading bird. It has long legs and belongs to the ibis and spoonbill family. You can find this bird all over Africa and Madagascar. This includes countries like Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
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What is an African Spoonbill?
African spoonbills live in wet, swampy areas with shallow water. They build their nests in groups, called colonies. These nests are usually in trees or tall reeds. Interestingly, they often don't share their nesting spots with storks or herons.
How do African Spoonbills find food?
These birds eat in shallow water. They hunt for different kinds of fish, small water creatures like molluscs (snails, clams), amphibians (frogs), crustaceans (shrimp, crabs), and insects. The spoonbill has a special bill that looks like a spoon. It swings its open bill from side to side in the water. This helps it catch food in its mouth. Their long legs and thin toes help them walk easily through water of different depths.
What does an African Spoonbill look like?
It's usually easy to spot an African spoonbill. Adult birds are completely white. They have red legs and a red face. Their long, grey bill is flat and wide at the end, like a spoon. Unlike the common spoonbill, the African spoonbill does not have a feathery crest on its head. Young birds don't have the red face; their bills are yellow. When they fly, spoonbills stretch their necks out straight, which is different from herons.
Breeding and Young Birds
African spoonbills start their breeding season in winter. It lasts until spring. During this time, male spoonbills get more feathers and brighter colors.
Where do African Spoonbills build their nests?
Their nests are usually in trees above water. They build them using sticks and reeds. Then, they line the nests with leaves. Female birds lay three to five eggs. This usually happens in April or May.
How do parents care for their young?
Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs. This is called incubation. It lasts for up to 29 days. After the eggs hatch, both parents care for the young birds for about 20 to 30 days. The young birds are ready to leave the nest soon after. They start flying about four weeks later.
The African spoonbill is part of an important agreement. It's called the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). This agreement helps protect birds that travel long distances.
