The pink color comes from a pigment found in its diet. Yes, this is one of the most spectacular birds gracing the skies of South Florida. The spoonbill is just as pink as a flamingo but even cooler because of his unusual spoon-shaped bill. The colorful pink roseate spoonbill is unquestionably the emblematic bird of Florida. Pink plumes are about the only thing the two birds have in common though. Juveniles are paler pink and have a completely feathered head for 3 years until they attain adult breeding plumage. Wonderful Roseate Spoonbill, a pink bird similar to a flamingo, done on guy's side. The roseate spoonbill, known for itsr bright pink color and sometimes mistaken for a flamingo, was over hunted in the late 1800s when the bird's bright plumes sold for $2 each to be used as hand fans. Although Flamingos used to be spotted in our area of Florida (notably in Bradenton’s Perico Bay area), they no longer make Tampa Bay their home. They have a white neck and a partially feathered, yellowish green head from which their red eyes shine. This Roseate Spoonbill photograph was created while landing on the mudflat. Although Flamingos used to be spotted in our area of Florida (notably in Bradenton’s Perico Bay area), they no longer make Tampa Bay their home. Gorgeous at a distance and bizarre up close is the Roseate Spoonbill. No, it's not a flamingo, despite the pink feathers. Nothing really beats seeing a roseate spoonbill, Platalea ajaja, in flight, with its deep reds and pinks, except perhaps seeing one in flight as the sun begins its descent. Sep 1, 2019 - Explore plfried's board "Flamingos & Roseate Spoonbills", followed by 314 people on Pinterest. Gorgeous at a distance and bizarre up close is the Roseate Spoonbill. The Roseate Spoonbill is a long-legged bird with a long, spoon looking, flat bill. The Roseate Spoonbill is a spectacular sight. No, it's not a flamingo, despite the pink feathers. The Roseate Spoonbill is a long-legged bird with a long, spoon looking, flat bill. The shrimp eat specific carotenoids – organic pigments produced by plants and algae. Meet the island’s resident pop of color By Candice Dyer That flash of bismuth pink you see hovering over the marsh may look, at first glance, like a flamingo, but zoom in with your binoculars. Nothing really beats seeing a roseate spoonbill, Platalea ajaja, in flight, with its deep reds and pinks, except perhaps seeing one in flight as the sun begins its descent. Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) This native pink bird, commonly mistaken for a flamingo, is a Refuge favorite. As the bird needs to brake over a short distance, one can admire the pink color of its under wings. The Roseate Spoonbill is the only species of Spoonbills found in America. While flamingos are known for gaining their pink color from a crustacean-rich diet, roseate spoonbills are naturally pink, which intensifies with age. Not a Flamingo! During the breeding season, the Roseate Spoonbill gets almost reddish spots on its upper wings, with a brighter pink and a rusty color on its tail, shoulders and around the eyes. As we head towards the end of August, there’s a bird I like to reminisce about. This wading bird weighs around 3.5 lb (1.6 kg), with a height of about 31.5 inches (80 cm) and a wingspan of 4.3 ft (1.3 m). On Aug 24, 1996, I saw a Roseate Spoonbill at Kirby Lake. Then the Roseate Spoonbill eats the shrimp, and the whole little food chain turns a distinctive shade of pink. The spoonbill is just as pink as a flamingo but even cooler because of his unusual spoon-shaped bill. Spoonbills feed in shallow waters, walking forward slowly while they swing their heads from side to … Locally common in coastal Florida, Texas, and southwest Louisiana, they are usually in small flocks, often associating with other waders. Roseate spoonbills have … FYI: When you are in Belize, if you ever think you see a pink flamingo, it’s probably a Roseate Spoonbill. Few birds along the Texas Coast command as much attention - and suffer as much misidentification - as the roseate spoonbill. The Roseate Spoonbill . Roseate Spoonbills are unmistakable wading birds that locals would probably call a flamingo. The adult roseate spoonbill is most noted for its stunning pink color and its uniquely-shaped bill. It is actually a roseate spoonbill. It's more likely a roseate spoonbill, which resembles a flamingo. It's easy to confuse an adult roseate spoonbill with a flamingo, until you look at their bills. If you want to see Florida’s TRUE pink bird, start looking for one the Roseate Spoonbill. With their pink color and weird bill, roseate spoonbills are attention grabbers. See more ideas about Pink flamingos, Flamingo and Flamingo art. Yes, this is one of the most spectacular birds gracing the skies of South Florida. Though both wading birds are bright pink, it's not hard to know which species is called "spoonbill." When it flies across the sky, the sun often illuminates its pink wings and many people think they have seen a Flamingo. One of the best quotations I’ve encountered concerning spoonbills, was cited on a website on Roseate Spoonbills by an author named Terry Tempest Williams who wrote,: “How can hope by denied when there is always the possibility of an American flamingo or a roseate spoonbill floating down from the sky like pink rose petals?”