Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia feeding


Spoonbills are tall white waterbirds with long spatulate black bills and long black legs. In flight they fly with necks and legs extended, in the water they feed with elegant sideward sweeps of their bill. In the breeding season adults show some yellow on their breast and bill tip. The species is of European conservation concern and a very rare breeding bird in the UK. Most birds migrate south in the winter, but numerous individuals remain and winter in Western Europe. Although still uncommon, spoonbills can be seen on coastal sites in north-west and south-west England and East Anglia.


Size: 4896px × 3264px
Location: Norfolk UK
Photo credit: © Ernie Janes / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: aquatic, bird, blue, breeding, coastal, colony, coming, european, extinct, feeding, fishing, flight, formally, group, minnows, nature, rare, reserve, sky, summer, vistitor, water