Spoonbill Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements

The Eurasian Spoonbill is a large heron-like bird with a drooping crest, white plumage and long spoon shaped bill from which it gets its name. During the breeding season, the male’s neck and collar take on an orange tinge.

Spoonbills have a black spoon shaped bill which has a yellow tip. Their feet and legs are also black. They resemble flamingos and storks when in flight with their extended necks and feet and their rapid wing beats interspersed with short glides.

Keep reading to find out more about these fascinating, majestic birds.

The Dietary Habits Of The Spoonbill

Let’s get started by looking at what spoonbills eat and how they feed their young.

What Does A Spoonbill Eat?

Spoonbills can often be found foraging in small groups, wading through around 30 cm deep water close together. Their spoon-shaped bill allows them to catch small crustaceans, small fish, aquatic molluscs, newts, frogs, tadpoles, worms and leeches.

Spoonbills also eat algae and small pieces of plant material but this is thought to be accidental and is only consumed when caught up with other food sources.

What To Feed A Baby Spoonbill? 

When the chicks first hatch they are altricial and rely on their parents for everything. They are fed regurgitated food by both parents and would not survive without the constant attention from their parents.

It’s not just food that they rely on their parents for, it’s also to regulate their temperature. They are born blind and without any feathers or down at all.

Breeding Habits Of Spoonbills

Male spoonbills put on aggressive displays to attract a mate. They will flap their wings, stretch out their elongated necks, snap their bills and chase other males away.

Both parents take part in the nest building process with the male foraging for materials and the female arranging that material into a nest. The nests are either made on small islands slightly above the water level or in trees and bushes up to a height of around 5 metres (16 feet).

The female arranges the twigs, sticks, reeds and grasses supplied by the male and makes a nest large enough to house her 3 to 5 eggs. Once the eggs are laid, both birds take turns incubating them.

The male will use an aggressive display similar to the courtship ritual to deter intruders away from the nesting sight.

Do Spoonbills Mate For Life?

Although considered to be monogamous, many spoonbills will breed with other partners. In fact, it is estimated that around 19 to 25% of copulations occur outside of the breeding pair.

With that said, the majority of breeding pairs (around 75%) are monogamous, for that year at least. There is currently no data on whether they remain with the same partner year on year.

The Size & Weight Of Spoonbills

Now let’s take a look into the size and weight of the Eurasian Spoonbill.

How Much Does A Spoonbill Weigh?

Spoonbills are related to the ibises, a group of long-legged birds with curved bills, and are almost as big as a grey heron.

They weigh in at anywhere between 1.3 to 2 kg. That’s roughly the same weight as an average pineapple or as much as 2 bags of sugar.

It takes a lot of food to maintain their physique which means they are active feeders in the morning and evening. Swinging their spoon-shaped bill through the water to filter out as much food as possible. They regurgitate their food for the young chicks which puts extra strain on the parents who need to maintain their own food levels as well as fending for their chicks.

How Big Is A Spoonbill?

When it comes to size, a spoonbill is around 80 to 90 cm in length which is around the same length as a white tailed eagle. 

With a wingspan of around 120 to 135 cm. Which is similar to the wingspan of the Marsh Harrier. The spoonbill makes a majestic sight when seen flying around its wetland habitat with its extended neck and legs and wings making shallow beats interspersed with short gliding actions.

Are Spoonbills Under Threat?

The spoonbill wasn’t seen in the UK for more than 350 years as many of its habitats were destroyed by farming and building plans. In recent years however, there has been a marked increase in numbers of spoonbills sighted in the UK as well as a few nesting sites appearing too.

This trend is also true on mainland Europe with population numbers recovering greatly. This is especially true in north west Europe, Hungary and the Netherlands.

There are currently an estimated 29,000 adult Eurasian Spoonbills throughout Europe (c.2020). With more found as far away from Europe as China.

What Eats A Spoonbill?

On the whole, the main threat to the spoonbill is habitat loss, and human interference. Whether that’s from hunting, nest disturbance or pesticides, humans are the main cause of any falling numbers in the spoonbill population.

Other threats include predation from foxes, cats, and other mammals. With smaller mammals like rats stealing eggs and chicks.

Where Can I See Spoonbills In The UK?

For more than 350 years there were no spoonbills to be found anywhere in the UK. Then in 2010, a colony was discovered on the north Norfolk salt marshes.

These few intrepid explorers were thought to have travelled from the Netherlands or France to set up home in Norfolk. Since then more have moved in to take up residence in the UK.

You can see spoonbills in a number of colonies from the south coast and up to as far as Yorkshire. With one colony sited in Cumbria, another in Suffolk and one in Essex.

In fact, anywhere that has enough undisturbed wetland to support them. As a result of this it is possible to see spoonbills in the UK from January to December if you know where to look.

SEE ALSO: Balearic Shearwater Vs Manx Shearwater: Key Differences Explained

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