The Roseate Spoonbill is a most beautiful bird, found mostly in Florida and Texas. They are typically found in small groups, often with other wading birds. While the Roseate Spoonbill is a more common resident of the Florida Everglades and Florida Bay near Tampa, they can often be found in Northeast Florida; notably in St. Augustine and in northern Duval County.

History: A major period of decline for the spoonbill occurred in the early 1800's when the wings of this beautiful creature were made into fans, a "regular article of trade" in St. Augustine, according to John Audubon. The millinery or "hat trade" also took a heavy toll on the spoonbill in the late 1800's. Although their feathers were never in as great of demand as the plumes of the egrets because they faded, spoonbills were still slaughtered along with many plume birds, and their numbers declined.

Conservation: Over the past century, Florida’s wetlands have suffered extensive degradation with an estimated loss of 85-90% of the wading birds (C&SF Restudy 1999). Monitoring of Roseate Spoonbills by Audubon of Florida over the past 50 years has shown that this species responds markedly to changes in hydrology and corresponding changes in prey abundance and availability (e.g., Powell et al. 1989, Lorenz et al. 2002). In contrast to Florida Bay, the number of nesting spoonbills in Tampa Bay has grown markedly in recent years. Whether these birds are moving from Florida Bay to Tampa Bay is unknown. Audubon of Florida, with funding from USGS, Everglades National Park, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Walt Disney World Wildlife Conservation Fund, is initiating a collaborative project that will serve to monitor population dynamics as well as measure for success of Everglades restoration efforts.

Local Impact: Part of the ongoing effort by Audubon of Florida to research the nesting ecology of the spoonbill - and to monitor the health of this indicator species - involves banding the birds and tracking their whereabouts. Many of these banded birds show up at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm, where they roost in the rookery. Although they have yet  to nest or breed there, their presence generates considerable excitement among visitors and nature enthusiasts.

According to the Alligator Farm's Curator of Birds, Amanda Whitaker,  "All of the birds we have seen have been red banded, which means they came from Tampa Bay.  One bird we have seen, A3, was the first bird that they banded for the project... the encouraging aspect of the 'spoonies' is that many individuals have been returning every year during the nesting season.  This year will be the first year that they are sexually mature.  We are really hoping to see nesting behavior with them this season.  I am not expecting chicks, but some attempts at nest building would be very positive".

Get involved! If you see a banded Roseate Spoonbill, please note the following: 

1. Color of the band(s), and if possible what leg(s) it is on

2. Is there an alpha/numeric code (can you read it with certainty)

3. The location of the sighting (be as specific as possible and please include the county)

4. Your background (biologist, birder, etc.) and how to contact you if you are willing to be contacted should we need further information

Please report any sightings to Audubon of Florida at: Tavernier Science Center, 115 Indian Mound Trail, Tavernier, FL (305) 852-5318, or Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries, 410 Ware Blvd, Suite 702, Tampa FL 33619 (813) 623-6826, or online at: www.audubonofflorida.org.

Read more about the Spoonbill Banding Project, including information on how to submit a sighting.

View the Audubon flyer here. (must have Adobe Acrobat to view the PDF)