Beauty Queen of Birds: The Roseate Spoonbill

t. Marys is a virtual water realm with rivers, tributaries, the Intracoastal Waterway, and even the great Atlantic Ocean just around the bend. So there is no surprise that a number of water birds make their home here. But if you happen to get a glimpse of a Roseate Spoonbill—and there’s a good chance you will, you’ve been given a rare opportunity to witness one of nature’s most elegant and graceful birds. And certainly most beautiful.

Peacocks can lay claim for being in the running as a pageant contender for “Beauty Queen of Birds.” And the Cassowary certainly deserves a place on the docket, but

Syou have to visit White Oak Conservation to see this endangered species (White Oak is just minutes from St. Marys.) No, it’s the Roseate Spoonbill that we think deserves the title and it’s not an unusual sight around St. Marys. This gregarious wading bird sports a body of pale pink feathers that segue into bright pink at the shoulders and rump. It looks like something that came straight out of a Dr. Seuss book with its red eye staring out from a partly bald head, and a giant spoon-shaped bill. A “bowl” of spoonbills (that’s what they’re called as a group) sweeps their spoonbills continued on page 18 www.StMarysMagazine.com

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through shallow fresh, brackish, or salt waters snapping up crustaceans and fish. They fly with necks outstretched, to and from foraging and nesting areas. They are very social and often roost in trees and bushes with other large wading birds. They often stand on one leg which causes some people to mistake them for flamingos. And, like flamingos, their coloring comes from their diet.

Here are some more fun facts about the Roseate Spoonbill: • Roseate Spoonbill chicks don’t have a spoon-shaped bill. When they are nine days old the bill starts to flatten.

By 39 days, the bill is nearly full size. • Though their lifespan is generally around seven years, the oldest recorded is just short of 16 years. • When the Roseate Spoonbill walks, it swings its head back and forth in a sideways motion. • There are six species of spoonbills in the world, but the Roseate Spoonbill is the only one with pink plumage and the only one found in the Americas. • In the early 1800s, the Roseate

Spoonbill became endangered because people collected their feathers for hat adornments, fans, and other objects of beauty.

Thankfully, they became protected by a government protection order. • During mating season, a male Roseate

Spoonbill will try to attract a female by bringing her nest materials and dancing and flying around. • After mating, the female will construct an intricate nest in shrubs and trees to lay a clutch of two to three eggs. Both parents participate in the month-long incubation period.

After six weeks, the chicks will be able to leave the nest and fly away.

So, next time you’re visiting the St. Marys waterfront or plying the waters gracing the peninsula, keep your eyes peeled for the “Beauty Queen of Birds.” Seek them out. They are worth the search.

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