European spoonbill

The European spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) is a wading bird belonging to the subfamily Plataleinae, which also includes ibises. These long-legged birds are found in various wetland habitats like estuaries and lakes.1

Spoonbills are characterized by their long bills, which they use to sweep side-to-side in shallow water to catch small fish and crustaceans. They typically breed in colonies, often alongside herons and ibises, and build stick nests in bushes or trees, laying three to five eggs.1

The European spoonbill is about 60 cm long, with white plumage and a cinnamon-buff patch on its foreneck. It has a crest and is found in marshes across Europe and Asia, extending south to Egypt, India, and Taiwan. Spoonbills, like other ciconiiforms, may nest in trees, bushes, reeds, or on the ground.12