Exotic Florida bird spotted in Northern Virginia park

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“The roseate spoonbill is the only spoonbill endemic (native) to the Western Hemisphere (Bjork and Powell 1996).  This species can reach a length of 30-40 inches (76-102 centimeters) with a wingspan of 50-53 inches (127-135 centimeters).  It has pink wings and underparts (with some red on the tops of the wings) with a white neck and back, and pinkish legs and feet.  While the species looks almost entirely pink in flight, they actually have no feathers at all on their heads. The pink coloration comes from the organisms on which they feed, which are full of caroteniods (organic pigment) (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, n.d.).  As the name implies, the roseate spoonbill also has a large, spoon-shaped bill, which it sweeps back and forth in shallow water to capture prey.”- Florida Wildlife Commission

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Image by JamesDeMers from Pixabay 

• Gabriella Hoffman

  Gabriella Hoffman is a Media Strategist and Award-Winning Outdoor Writer. She hosts the "District of Conservation" podcast and CFACT's original YouTube series "Conservation Nation." Learn more about her work at www.gabriellahoffman.com

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