Stephen F. Briggs 



The first week of February 

 is a high point in the life 

 cycle of the roseate spoon- 

 bills of Florida Bay. The 

 young birds are then about 

 seven weeks old and, in 

 their soft pink and white 

 plumage, are testing their 

 wings in flight for the first 

 time. 



Young roseate spoonbills 

 being fed by one of their 

 parents, which share the 

 duties of care and feeding 

 during the first two months 

 of their offsprings' life. 

 Growth of the young is 

 extremely rapid and they 

 must be supplied with tre- 

 mendous amounts of small 

 fish, water insects, and 

 crustaceans their staff of 

 life. A rare photograph of 

 a rarely seen event. 



Stephen F. Briggs 



