The roseate spoonbill is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. It is a resident breeder in both South and North America. The roseate spoonbill's pink color is diet-derived, consisting of the carotenoid pigment canthaxanthin, like the American flamingo.
Roseate spoonbill
In flight in the Pantanal, Brazil (composite image)
On High Island, Texas, United States
At GaiaZoo, Netherlands
Spoonbills are a genus, Platalea, of large, long-legged wading birds. The spoonbills have a global distribution, being found on every continent except Antarctica. The genus name Platalea derives from Ancient Greek and means "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. Six species are recognised, which although usually placed in a single genus have sometimes been split into three genera.
Spoonbill
Image: Eurasian Spoonbill 2
Image: Black faced spoonbill at Niigata
Image: Platalea alba Lake Nakuru