Water for the environment: wetlands

	Wetlands Facts about Wetlands Wetland Plants and Animals Birds   Search:  [ HOME ] [ CONTACT ]		The Birds of NSW Wetlands - Spoonbills Order - Ciconiiformes Source: MDBC Royal Spoonbill Yellow-billed Spoonbill References and Further Reading Royal Spoonbill Platelea regia General Characteristics: White plumage, with long plumage around crown and upper chest. Front of head is featherless and black in colour. Has a red spot on the top of head. Black legs, feet and spoon-shaped bill. Nests in shrubs or trees up to 9m off the ground. Nest alone or in colonies, mixed with cormorants, ibises and darters. Diet: Fish and crustaceans. Habitat: Shallow water bodies, marine or fresh. Distribution in NSW: Found throughout NSW. [ TOP ] Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platelea flavipes General Characteristics: Endemic to Australia. Nomadic. Plumage white, sometimes with a pink tinge. Pale yellow spoon-shaped bill. Pale yellow legs and feet. Face is featherless and has a black border. Nests in trees up to 20m above the ground. Nest alone or in mixed colonies. Yellow Spoonbills will return to the same spot to nest year after year, as long as water is present. Feed in shallow water, day or night. Diet: Aquatic insects, crustaceans, fish and molluscs. Habitat: Freshwater swamps, dams and shallow lakes. Distribution in NSW: Found throughout NSW. [ TOP ] References and Further Reading Fullagar, P. J. and Davey, C. C. 1983. Herons, Egrets, Ibises and Spoonbills. Order: Ciconiiformes. In "Wetlands in New South Wales". (Ed C. Haigh). National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW. Readers Digest. 1988. Readers Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds. Reader’s Digest, Sydney.
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