Platalea minor
The Black-faced Spoonbill, Platalea minor, is a striking wading bird instantly recognizable by its unique spatulate (spoon-shaped) black bill and bare black facial skin, contrasting sharply with its otherwise pristine white plumage. Measuring approximately 74 cm (29 inches) in length with a wingspan of about 130 cm (51 inches), it is a medium-large member of the ibis and spoonbill family (Threskiornithidae). Distinctive field marks include the prominent black mask extending from the bill base...
Primarily inhabits coastal wetlands, estuaries, and intertidal mudflats, typically at low elevations, utilizing sheltered bays and lagoons for foraging and roosting.
Feeds primarily on small fish, shrimp, crabs, marine worms, and various aquatic insects, detected tactically by sweeping its sensitive bill through shallow water.
Diurnal by nature, Black-faced Spoonbills spend their days actively foraging in shallow waters, often roosting communally in mangrove trees, on sandbars, or isolated rocky islets during high tide or at night. Their most distinctive behavior is their tactile foraging strategy: they sweep their uni...
The Black-faced Spoonbill exhibits a restricted but significant migratory range across East Asia. Its primary breeding grounds are concentrated on small, rocky islets off the coasts of South Korea and North Korea, with smaller breeding colonies found in Liaoning province, China, and very rarely i...
Endangered
- The Black-faced Spoonbill's spatulate bill is a highly specialized tactile foraging tool, equipped with numerous nerve endings to detect prey in murky waters. - It is one of only six species of spoonbills found worldwide and the only one restricted to the East Asian region. - Once listed as Cri...