The Roseate Spoonbill is at once beautiful and bizarre. Its rose-colored plumage is striking even from a distance. Viewed more closely, the bald greenish head and unusual spoon-shaped bill of this elegantly plumed bird are apparent. Thanks to conservation efforts, the species has recovered significantly from near-decimation during the plume-hunting era.

Only the northern edge of the Roseate Spoonbill's range lies within the United States. This neotropical bird can be found in many areas around the Gulf of Mexico, and breeds in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Florida populations occur in the southern half of the state. Roseate Spoonbills are also found in Mexico, Central America, and South America, as well as across the West Indies and Greater Antilles.   

 

A legend for the range map to the right can be found here.

In the United States, Roseate Spoonbill numbers have rebounded over recent decades, though the current population is still less than what it was before the plume-hunting era. Although the species is increasing in numbers, it remains a Species of Special Concern in both Florida and Louisiana.

Roseate Spoonbill numbers were reduced to near extinction by the late 19^th century. The bird was hunted ruthlessly, its plumes used in ladies' hats, and its wings sold as fans. By 1939, about 30 birds were all that remained of the thousands that formerly inhabited Florida. 

 

The greatest current threat to the Roseate Spoonbill is habitat loss. As coastal marshes are drained, developed, or polluted by industry, less suitable breeding habitat is available for the birds--a particular concern in coastal Louisiana.  While many Roseate Spoonbill nesting colonies are within protected areas, their foraging sites are often unprotected and prone to human disturbance. The species also faces persecution in parts of Central and South America.

Remain aware of local, regional, and federal land management decisions, particularly those that affect our wetlands. 

 

Contact your legislators in support of wise land management initiatives, such as wetland restoration along the Gulf Coast, and The North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

 

For actions you can take, including Audubon activities, please visit our resources page.

Audubon of Florida's Everglades Conservation Network is dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Everglades, one of America's most unique ecosystems. Florida's Everglades hosts one of the largest concentrations of endangered and threatened species in the US, including breeding Roseate Spoonbills.

 

America's Wetland, a campaign to save coastal Louisiana, maintains timely information regarding coastal land loss at its website. The marshland of coastal Louisiana is crucial habitat for many waterbird species, including Roseate Spoonbills.

 

Visit our resources page for more information about this species.

 

Bent, A. C. 1926. Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 135.

 

Dumas, J. V. 2000. Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja). In The Birds of North America, No. 490 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 2003, January 6. Florida's breeding bird atlas: A collaborative study of Florida's birdlife: www.myfwc.com/bba/

 

Kaufman, Kenn. 1996. Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.