Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a show-stopping wading bird that brings a splash of tropical flair to America’s coastal wetlands. With its vivid pink plumage, long legs, and unmistakable spoon-shaped bill, this bird looks like it was painted by an artist with a bold imagination.

Found in marshes, mangroves, and tidal lagoons along the Gulf Coast, Florida, the Caribbean, and parts of Central and South America, the Roseate Spoonbill thrives in shallow, sunlit waters. Its brilliant coloring comes from the crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates it eats—much like flamingos—giving each bird a unique blend of pinks, from soft blush to deep magenta.

But its beauty isn’t just in the feathers. The Roseate Spoonbill’s most remarkable feature is its long, flat, spoon-like bill, which it sweeps from side to side through the water to feel for prey. This feeding behavior is mesmerizing to watch, a graceful rhythm that stirs the water and reveals small fish, insects, and crustaceans hiding below the surface.

Despite their exotic appearance, spoonbills are social birds, often seen feeding or flying in flocks. In flight, they’re stunning—wings outstretched, neck extended, with flashes of pink against a blue sky. During breeding season, they nest in colonies, usually in trees or shrubs near water, building bulky stick nests and raising noisy, hungry chicks.

Once hunted for their feathers, Roseate Spoonbills have made a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation efforts. Today, they stand as symbols of beauty, resilience, and the rich biodiversity of coastal wetlands.

Elegant, eye-catching, and completely unforgettable, the Roseate Spoonbill is a living work of art—a reminder that nature isn’t afraid to be bold.