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Roseate Spoonbill

Platalea ajaja

Bird · family Threskiornithidae · order Pelecaniformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
9 states[3]
Oldest known wild bird
16 years[4]

The Roseate Spoonbill is a bird in the family Threskiornithidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide, and it is native to nine US states, including Florida, Texas and Louisiana[2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Roseate Spoonbill a global rank of G5 (Secure) and a US national rank of N4 (Apparently Secure)[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The bird is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. It is on the federal list of birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N4 (Apparently Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Migratory Bird Treaty Act[8] Protected
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Where Roseate Spoonbill lives

NatureServe lists the Roseate Spoonbill as native in Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas[3]. Illinois is ranked as a state where the bird is gone or possibly gone[10]. People report it most often on GBIF in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina and Georgia, but those counts follow where observers look and do not show how many birds live there[11].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: native, state rank S2NAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: native, state rank SNAARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: native, state rank SNANCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S2SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: native, state rank S4LAMississippi: native, state rank S1B,S2NMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: native, state rank SNRGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S4BTXFlorida: native, state rank S2FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[12].
Show state ranks (10 states)
StateRankMeaning
ArizonaS2NImperiled (nonbreeding)
ArkansasSNANot Applicable
FloridaS2Imperiled
GeorgiaSNRNot Ranked
IllinoisSXPresumed Extirpated
LouisianaS4Apparently Secure
MississippiS1B,S2NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Imperiled (nonbreeding)
North CarolinaSNANot Applicable
South CarolinaS2Imperiled
TexasS4BApparently Secure (breeding)

Habitat

NatureServe records wet places for this bird, such as herbaceous wetland, forested wetland, shallow water, bays, lagoons and tidal flats[13]. NatureServe describes its habitat as shallow, open, still or slow-flowing water[14]. In Florida and Texas it seems to like brackish water and coastal bays, while in Louisiana it seems to like freshwater marshes[14]. Nests are built in mangroves in Florida and in low bushes or on the ground in Texas and Louisiana[14].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[13]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Roseate Spoonbill eats fish and small animals without backbones[15]. One estimate puts its diet at 50% fish, 40% invertebrates and 10% other plant material[16]. It feeds in shallow water and sometimes stirs up bottom mud with its feet to push prey into the open[17]. A typical bird is 81 cm (32 in) long[18]. Its typical weight is 3 lb[19]. A clutch is usually 2 to 3[20]. Both sexes incubate, and incubation lasts 23 to 24 days[20]. The longest recorded lifespan is 28 years, and the oldest known wild bird in US and Canadian banding records was at least 16 years 6 months old[21][4].

Trait Value
Typical length[18] 81 cm (32 in)
Typical adult weight[19] 1.5 kg (3 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[21] 28 years
Oldest known wild bird (banding)[4] 16 years 6 months
Litter or clutch size[22] 3
Gestation or incubation[23] 23 days
Female maturity[24] 1,095 days (about 3.0 years)
Food habits[15] Piscivore, Invertivore
Migration[25] non-migrant, local migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[16]

  • 50% fish
  • 40% invertebrates
  • 10% other plant material

When to look for it

NatureServe lists the bird as both a non-migrant and a local migrant, and populations can differ[25]. Some birds travel from Texas and Louisiana to Mexico, and some travel from Florida to Cuba[26]. NatureServe describes it as feeding mostly at night in one part of Florida but also during the day[27]. GBIF records in the US are highest in January, March and April, which reflects when people look and report[28].

January: 58,181 recordsJanFebruary: 51,067 recordsFebMarch: 54,309 recordsMarApril: 78,914 recordsAprMay: 39,274 recordsMayJune: 29,758 recordsJunJuly: 32,110 recordsJulAugust: 35,050 recordsAugSeptember: 34,423 recordsSepOctober: 36,990 recordsOctNovember: 41,989 recordsNovDecember: 45,020 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[28].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January58,181
February51,067
March54,309
April78,914
May39,274
June29,758
July32,110
August35,050
September34,423
October36,990
November41,989
December45,020

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Roseate Spoonbill as present in 12 park units[29]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia[11]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Roseate Spoonbill endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) globally and N4 (Apparently Secure) in the US[2][6].
Where does the Roseate Spoonbill live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas[3].
What does the Roseate Spoonbill eat?
It eats fish and invertebrates, and one estimate gives 50% fish, 40% invertebrates and 10% other plant material[15][16].
How big is a Roseate Spoonbill?
A typical bird is 81 cm (32 in) long[18]. Its typical weight is 3 lb[19].
How long does a Roseate Spoonbill live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 28 years[21]. The oldest known wild bird in US and Canadian banding records was at least 16 years 6 months old[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Roseate Spoonbill is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Roseate Spoonbill: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Roseate Spoonbill as native in 9 US states and territories: Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Oldest known wild Roseate Spoonbill from US and Canadian bird banding records: at least 16 years 6 months old (USGS Bird Banding Laboratory). USGS Bird Banding Lab
  5. Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a bird in the family Threskiornithidae, order Pelecaniformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. Roseate Spoonbill is on the federal list of migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (50 CFR 10.13). eCFR, 50 CFR 10.13
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe ranks Roseate Spoonbill as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Illinois. NatureServe Explorer
  11. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Roseate Spoonbill: Florida, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  12. NatureServe state ranks for Roseate Spoonbill (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  13. Habitat types NatureServe records for Roseate Spoonbill: Herbaceous wetland, Forested wetland, Riparian, Low gradient, Shallow water, Bay/sound, Lagoon, Tidal flat/shore, Scrub-shrub wetland. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on habitat for Roseate Spoonbill. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Piscivore, Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 50% fish, 40% invertebrates, 10% other plant material. EltonTraits 1.0
  17. NatureServe notes on food for Roseate Spoonbill. NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 81 cm (32 in). NatureServe Explorer
  19. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 1.5 kg (3 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  20. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Roseate Spoonbill. NatureServe Explorer
  21. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 28 years. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  22. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 3. AnAge
  23. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 23 days. AnAge
  24. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 1,095 days (about 3.0 years). AnAge
  25. NatureServe migration category for Roseate Spoonbill: non-migrant, local migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  26. NatureServe notes on migration for Roseate Spoonbill. NatureServe Explorer
  27. NatureServe notes on phenology for Roseate Spoonbill. NatureServe Explorer
  28. GBIF observation records of Roseate Spoonbill in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  29. NPSpecies park lists recording Roseate Spoonbill as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.