Roseate Spoonbills use their unique bill to sift through shallow water and the marsh bottom for small insects and fish.

A Spoonbill needs a very specific water depth to feed. Above you can see it is just below their knee. This is perfect for feeding.

Spoonbills are considered a bellwether for how healthy a marshland environment is. Their movement has been studied in Florida since the 1950’s. Disappearing flocks helped identify and predict water flow problems through the Everglades and Keys.

The good news is some Spoonbills are not afraid to change their locations and will migrate to new areas keeping the species healthy.

This is a young bird I passed on my back from Wood Storks by a dike.

I always like to get a position where the details of their spoon shaped bill is clear.