PORT PHILLIP BAY


Royal Spoonbill 

Platalea regia

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

See below for information.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Ciconiiformes
Family:
Threskiornithidae
Genus:
Platalea
Species:
regia

General Description

Body white with black legs. Bill black and wide with a flat round tip (spoon-shaped). Body up to 77 cm long.

Biology

Royal Spoonbills feed with by placing their bill into shallow water and using a side-ways swaying of the head to search for crustaceans.

Habitat

Freshwater wetlands and swamps, and saltwater or brackish coastal areas.

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Australia.

Species Group

Birds Ibises and spoonbills

Max Size

77 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

Yes

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Vulnerable
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Least Concern

Author

article author Longmore, N. W.

Wayne Longmore is a Senior Collection manager of terrestrial vertebrates at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author O'Brien, R.

Rory O'Brien is a Collection Manager of terrestrial vertebrates at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Longmore, N. W. & O'Brien, R., 2011, Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 27 Jul 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7947

Text: creative commons cc by licence