Bird of the Week: Royal Spoonbill 1 January 2021
Have you ever wondered where all the dinosaurs went? Well I have good news: they are still among us, they just grew feathers.
This marvel of nature, this magical being: the Royal Spoonbill – is so clearly a flying dinosaur. They have a ridiculous long bill made of black steel chequer-plate, crazy blood-red eyes, sunflower yellow eyeshadow and a crest like a Frilled Lizard.
Yet their immaculate white feather plumage is 100% modern bird.
When they fly their black-metal legs hang out the back, and that anachronistic bill sticks out the front, like the dinosaur inside is trying to show itself.
Adults have the yellow eyeshadow all year round. When they are breeding they develop long white plumes on the back of their heads, a red patch on their crown and a golden wash over their chests.
Juveniles have no yellow eyeshadow, shorter bills, and black tips to their primary (outer wing) feathers. Immature/sub-adult birds have all white plumage like adults, but lack the yellow eyeshadow.
They seem to be present in Mallacoota all year round. If you don’t see them on the main bottom lake or at Coull’s Inlet, have a peek at the well-hidden lagoon at the south end of Broome Street. They seem to roost there a lot.
Read about them in East Gippsland in John Hutchison’s excellent blog: http://avithera.blogspot.com/2015/11/royal-spoonbills.html
They self-introduced to New Zealand in the 1860s and have now become a breeding population. Read more: http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/royal-spoonbill
Scroll through to see lots of great pics here: https://ebird.org/species/blfmon1
Details: Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
Location: Most of Australia except the very dry inland west, also New Guinea and Indonesia and New Zealand.
Conservation status/learn more: Considered Vulnerable in Victoria. https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/royal-spoonbill
Thanks to Martin Butterfield, Caroline Jones, Rob Clay, Jack Winterbottom and John Hutchison for your wonderful pictures and information.
Mallacoota Birds 