Dolphin Tales: Roseate spoonbills in our Southwest Florida waters
Most Florida visitors are not familiar with spoonbills. When visitors see a large pink waterbird wading on the flats from a distance, they think that it is a pink flamingo. However, the flamingo is much taller and has an angled beak rather than the very flat, spoon-shaped beak of the spoonbill. Spoonbills are actually part of the ibis family.
Roseate spoonbills get their pink color from the food they eat which is rich in carotenoids. They forage in shallow waters for aquatic invertebrates, sweeping their head from side to side with their bill partly opened. Their diet consists of shrimp, crabs, crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates. The adult birds have ruby red eyes and bald heads. Immature birds have dark brown eyes and are not as pink.
They nest in trees and sleep while standing on one leg while the head is tucked under the back feathers.
Spoonbills do not mate for life, but they are monogamous during mating season. Breeding season in Florida is from March to October. Each year, spoonbills court and mate with a different partner. During courtship, the male and female exchange nesting material. The male uses gifts of nesting material to attract the female. The female does most of the nest building as the male brings the material to her. Both the male and female take turns sitting on the eggs and feeding the young. Spoonbill chicks are born with short and straight bills. They eventually gain the characteristic spoon-shape as they mature. Spoonbill chicks are called teaspoons.
Some spoonbills are year-round residents here in Southwest Florida, but others will migrate to Cuba, Central America and South America during the winter months. It is estimated that there are 1,100 nesting pairs in Florida. I have spotted a solo spoonbill several times recently in Pine Island Sound off of Pineland. It is likely that there is a mating pair and either the male or female is out finding food to bring back to the nest. It appears they are nesting on east Part Island off of Pineland. Their nesting sites are mangrove islands or swampy areas with dense shrub cover so this island is an ideal nesting spot.
Watch for the pink bird. It is lovely to see it in flight.
Captain Cathy Eagle has spent over 40 years boating on our local waters. As a professional charter captain, she specializes in dolphin and nature tours. Visit CaptainCathy.com or call /text 239-994-2572. Welcome aboard!