Animal Guide

Roseate Spoonbill

50 destinations · 23 states

Native Range: Gulf Coast of the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America

The roseate spoonbill is easy to spot when it wades through shallow water, thanks to its pink plumage and remarkably flat, spoon-shaped bill. That bill is not just unusual to look at. Watch one feed and you'll see it sweep the bill from side to side through mud and shallow water, feeling for small fish, shrimp, insects, and other aquatic prey. The spoonbill often keeps its head partly submerged while walking slowly, making feeding look almost like a search with a built-in underwater detector. Young birds are duller and gradually develop their stronger pink color as they mature, so a group can show a surprising range of shades. Their broad wings also create a striking flash of pink when a flock takes off together. Roseate spoonbills often gather in wetlands and coastal areas, where several birds may feed side by side. At a zoo or wildlife destination, the feeding motion is the detail worth watching. Once you see that unusual bill sweeping through the water, it becomes much easier to understand how perfectly its shape fits the job.

Roseate Spoonbill

Where to see Roseate Spoonbill

50 destinations across 23 states

50 destinations

Alexandria Zoological Park

Alexandria, LA

Bergen County Zoo

Paramus, NJ

Birmingham Zoo

Birmingham, AL

BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo

Baton Rouge, LA

Brevard Zoo

Melbourne, FL

Bronx Zoo

Bronx, NY

Brookfield Zoo

Riverside, IL

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Tampa, FL

Caldwell Zoo

Tyler, TX

Cameron Park Zoo

Waco, TX

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Cleveland, OH

Dickerson Park Zoo

Springfield, MO

Discovery Cove

Orlando, FL

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Lake Buena Vista, FL

Fort Worth Zoo

Fort Worth, TX

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Fresno, CA

Georgia Aquarium

Atlanta, GA

Gladys Porter Zoo

Brownsville, TX

Honolulu Zoo

Honolulu, HI

Houston Zoo

Houston, TX

Idaho Falls Zoo

Idaho Falls, ID

Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Jacksonville, FL

Little Rock Zoo

Little Rock, AR

Lowcountry Zoo

Murrells Inlet, SC

Mesker Park Zoo

Evansville, IN

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

Sarasota, FL

National Aviary

Pittsburgh, PA

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Omaha, NE

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix, AZ

Reid Park Zoo

Tucson, AZ

Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Syracuse, NY

Safari West

Santa Rosa, CA

Saint Louis Zoo

St. Louis, MO

San Antonio Zoo

San Antonio, TX

Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo

Gainesville, FL

SeaWorld Orlando

Orlando, FL

Sedgwick County Zoo

Wichita, KS

Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Washington, DC

South Carolina Aquarium

Charleston, SC

Sylvan Heights Bird Park

Scotland Neck, NC

The Buffalo Zoo

Buffalo, NY

The Florida Aquarium

Tampa, FL

The Texas Zoo

Victoria, TX

Toledo Zoo & Aquarium

Toledo, OH

Topeka Zoo

Topeka, KS

Tracy Aviary at Liberty Park

Salt Lake City, UT

Utah's Hogle Zoo

Salt Lake City, UT

Zoo Miami

Miami, FL

ZooAmerica

Hershey, PA

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Tampa, FL

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