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Beak in action
"The African spoonbill hunts with a special technique: it swings its flat beak back and forth through the water. Does it sense something? Then it strikes at lightning speed and swallows its prey in one bite."
Discover in real lifeHabitat:
wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar
Food:
small fish, crustaceans, mollusks, insects and larvae
Lifespan:
20 years
Weight:
1.5 to 2 kg
Number of eggs:
2 to 4 eggs
Incubation period:
25 to 29 days
IUCN status:
safe
EEP:
no
About the African spoonbill
The African spoonbill lives in wet areas south of the Sahara and in Madagascar. There it roams slowly through shallow water in search of small fish, insects and other aquatic animals. It uses its distinctive, flat bill as a kind of scoop net: it moves it back and forth through the water. African spoonbills often live in groups, especially during the breeding season. A female usually lays 2 to 4 eggs, which hatch in about 25 to 29 days. The young are then cared for for some time by both parents.
Habitat and threats
The African spoonbill lives in wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. You can find these striking birds mostly in swamps, river deltas, wetlands and shallow lakes. Thanks to their long legs and spoon-shaped bill, they are well adapted to foraging in shallow water. They often breed in colonies, along with other waterfowl, in trees or reed beds close to water.