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White spoonbill

Platalea alba

The white spoonbill has been named after its beak which looks like a spoon. Its beak swings from side to side in a rhythmic movement when it catches insects, worms, frogs and
small fish.

The white spoonbill lives in areas with shallow and muddy waters. If it can find small islands with dense vegetation where it can build its nest, this will be a suitable breeding ground. The nests are often built in colonies with 5-20 breeding pairs but, colonies with more than 250 breeding pairs have previously been spotted and they also contained other species.

At Odense ZOO, the nests are often built in the trees surrounding the pond

Food
Small fish, larvae, snails, mussels and crustacean
Originates
Africa
Life expectancy
8 years
Wingspan
88-92 cm
Incubation period
24-29 days
IUCN status
Least concern (LC)