Spoonbill Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)

Up until around 350 years ago the spoonbill was a common sight in the UK. There are reports of a colony of spoonbills by the river Thames at Fulham from the year 1523.

During that time the spoonbill’s breeding range spread right across southern England and Wales. They were classed as a game bird and often featured on the banquet tables of Kings and other members of the aristocracy.

However, over hunting and habitat loss soon put paid to that with the British spoonbill population sadly dying out altogether. They were, and still are, prevalent in the Netherlands.

Thankfully, a few adventurous spoonbills flew in from the Netherlands a few years ago and started to re-establish a colony in the UK in Norfolk. Keep reading to find out more about these fascinating distinguished waterbirds.

How Long Does A Spoonbill Live?

The Eurasian Spoonbill owes its name to the shape of its bill which it uses to filter food from the mud. This European subspecies is only found in a few areas which include marshland in the Netherlands, southern Spain, eastern Europe and parts of the British Isles.

There used to be many more spoonbills than there currently are but due to changes in the habitat, their numbers are in a sharp decline. Ironically, it’s this habitat loss elsewhere that has seen an increase in the population in the UK.

In the wild, these magnificent birds typically live for between 10 to 15 years. In captivity however, they have been known to live for more than 30 years.

How Fast Can A Spoonbill Fly?

When in flight, the spoonbill extends its neck and legs and performs fast, shallow wing beats interspersed with short glides. It can reach speeds of up to 50 to 60 kilometres per hour (31 to 37 mph) or around 14 to 16.6 metres per second.

Added to which is the migrating speed phenomenon where the top speed of the bird is greatly increased by wind speed and the help of air thermals.

Another interesting fact that often gets overlooked is the speed at which spoonbills can run when they need to. They are very fast and agile birds when running to escape predators helped by those long legs.

Are Spoonbills Aggressive?

Generally, spoonbills are not aggressive birds. Having said that, male spoonbills will display aggressive tendencies when establishing nesting territories.

They tend to flap their wings, stretch their long necks, snap their spoon shaped bill and aggressively chase other birds away from their nesting site.

What Is A Spoonbill’s Habitat?

Spoonbills live all of their lives near water, this can be wetlands, marshland, estuaries, river deltas and other areas with lots of water in a steady supply. They’re not fussy whether that water is fresh, brackish or salt, as long as it is around 30 cm (12 inches) deep.

They prefer soft sandy or muddy bottoms with not too much aquatic vegetation. You can often see spoonbills in the UK in; 

• Suffolk
• Norfolk
• Devon
• Dorset
• Essex

How Long Does It Take For A Spoonbill To Build A Nest?

Spoonbills nest in colonies with other spoonbills and both the male and female bird have a role in building the nest. Typically the female makes the nest out of materials brought to her by the male.

The nest usually consists of twigs, sticks, grass stems or reeds and is then lined with grass and leaves. This nest is either built on a slight mound above the water level on an island, or more typically built in trees or bushes around 5 metres (16 feet) above the ground.

The nest building process typically takes anywhere between 5 to 15 days depending on a few factors including; the availability of nesting materials, environmental conditions and the experience of the birds building the nest.

Eggs

Now we know about the nest building process, let’s look at the spoonbill’s eggs. We’ll look at when they lay eggs, how many eggs they lay and also look at what spoonbill eggs look like.

When Do Spoonbills Lay Eggs?

Eurasian spoonbills lay their eggs between the months of April and July. The exact date is often dictated by climatic conditions.

If the spring is uncharacteristically cold or there are bouts of bad weather, breeding and egg laying can be delayed until conditions improve. Also water levels can affect the timing of egg laying, if the water level is too high or too low, they will wait until conditions improve.

How Many Eggs Does A Spoonbill Lay?

Once conditions are right and the nest has been successfully built to the females specifications, she will lay 3 to 5 eggs which are incubated by both parents.

They only raise one brood each year and stay together as a pair for the duration of the breeding season. However, males are often found mating with other females during this time.

What Do Spoonbill Eggs Look Like?

Spoonbill eggs are an off white colour with reddish-brown spots or freckles. These eggs are not very well camouflaged however, those that have been laid in nests in trees are less likely to be preyed upon than those that have been laid in ground nests.

Their main predators are; foxes, cats and rats who will take eggs and young chicks if the nest isn’t protected by one of the parents.

How Long Do Spoonbill Eggs Take To Hatch?

The eggs are incubated by both parents for around 24 to 25 days with each parent taking turns on the nest or in the water feeding.

They mainly feed in the morning and evening time and wade through the  water sweeping their large bill from side to side in search of food.

Chicks

Now let’s look at the next stage in the development of the spoonbill after hatching, the chicks.

How Many Chicks Does A Spoonbill Have?

Spoonbills typically lay 3 to 5 eggs and the egg to fledging survival rate is around 50 to 70% this means around 1 to 3 eggs hatched will survive to the fledgling stage of development. 

This survival rate is based on a number of factors including; weather and climatic conditions, human interference, food availability and predation.

When Do Spoonbill Chicks Open Their Eyes?

When first hatched, spoonbill chicks have short pointed bills which gradually change into the spoon shaped bill as they grow. The chicks are altricial which means they are completely helpless when first hatched and rely on their parents for everything.

They are blind and naked when they first hatch and only open their eyes after around 4 to 6 days. As they are also naked with no feather or down covering, they need the warmth of their parents to keep them warm and safe.

When Do Spoonbill Chicks Fledge?

The chicks sit in the nest for around 28 days and then gather with chicks from neighbouring nests. They begin to fledge around 48 to 50 days after hatching.

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

Frequently Asked Questions