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Royal Spoonbill
(Platalea regia)


Description
The Royal Spoon Bill has a black bill shaped like a spoon and very white feathers. It is a wading bird and has long legs for walking through water.

Voice
It is a very quiet bird out of the breeding season.

Food
It eats fish and other water animals, such as shellfish, crabs and frogs. It catches them by making a side-to-side movement with its bill. 
Nest
Its nest is an open platform of sticks in a tree. The female lays two or three eggs. The chicks hatch after 21 days.

Habitat
The Royal Spoonbill lives in wetlands. It can be seen in the shallow parts of lakes and rivers.

Behaviour
When they are breeding, long white feathers grow from the back of their heads.

by Peter C.


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 Bird illustration scanned with permission of
Judi Francis
Nature Art and Design
P.O. Box 602
BLACKWOOD SA 5051

 
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