Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia (Linnaeus, 1758)

2018-01-18 Ozernoe, Chuy Valley	© Tatiana Menshikova

Biology

Rare breeding migrant. Inhabits reed-rich steppe lakes, river channels overgrown with trees, bushes, nearby shallow water. In spring appears early, in mid-March, but usually in April. Migration finishes in mid-May. Migrates in flocks, flying by a slash. Breeds in colonies of up to 75 pairs, sometimes together with Grey Herons, Great Egrets and Cormorants. Nest is built by both partners in the reed-beds from the reed stems; or in bushes and trees (willow) at a height of 2-7 m, from the dry twigs with a certain number of the reed stems and leaves. Clutch of 3-5, more often 3-4 eggs is produced from early May, usually in mid-May – early June. Chicks hatch in end May to early July. When juveniles begin to fly Spoonbills disperse in flocks of 15-100 birds. Autumn migration begins in mid-August, most birds disappear in September. Odd birds linger to mid-October – end of November. On Chokpak Station a flock of 19 birds observed 14 October 2001.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.