THE ROSEATE SPOONBILL 



{Ajaja ajaja.) 



In the words of Audubon "the Ros- The lonely bayous between Brazos, 

 eate Spoonbill is to be met with, for the Texas, and iVLatagorda Bay are excellent 

 most part, along the marshy or muddy places to observe the habits of this and 

 borders of estuaries, the mouths of riv- many other species of birds. If one is 

 ers, on sea islands, or keys partially so fortunate as to find a locality where 

 overgrown wath bushes, and still more the birds have not been molested, a light 

 abundantly along the shores of the salt- blind may be erected within a few feet 

 water bayous so common within a mile of the water's edge and all of the waders 

 or two of the shore. There it can reside may be decoyed to close range. The nu- 

 and breed, with almost complete security, merous bayous along the Gulf coast 

 in the midst of an abundance of food." widen out inland forming large lakes 

 I find that these words, quoted from the which are left bare, or nearly so, by the 

 "Water Birds of North America," very out-going tide. One of the most beauti- 

 truthfully describe the home of this bird, ful sights I ever witnessed, while in my 

 Its range extends from the southern At- blind, was a time when I had a large 

 lantic and Gulf States southward to the flock of white-faced glossy ibises, wood 

 Falkland Islands and Patagonia. Its ibises, snowy herons and Roseate Spoon- 

 range at one time, many years ago, ex- bills all within fifty yards from me. The 

 tended northward in the Mississippi Val- combination was dazzling. The Spoon- 

 ley to southern Illinois. bills and the glossy it)ises would sail in 



When I first saw these Spoonbills it al- and away at an easy angle, while the 

 most seemed as if Nature had made some wood ibises would circle and sail until 

 mistake in the creation of this grotesque almost out of sight, 

 combination of an almost repulsive look- The Spoonbills are always gregarious 

 ing head and the exquisite shading of at all seasons in coveys of a half dozen 

 crimson and pink of the plumage on its or more. "At the approach of the breed- 

 graceful body. In studying the Spoon- ing season these small flocks collect to- 

 bill in life, as it wades in the shallow gether, forming immense collections, 

 pools in the bayous and salt marshes, one after the manner of the ibis, and resort 

 is surprised at the wonderful dexterity to their former breeding-places, to which 

 with which it uses its light spoon-shaped they almost invariably return. In flight 

 bill. It is a persistent and rapid worker, the Spoonbills resemble the herons with 

 moving its bill from side to side on the easy flappings of the wings. Their necks 

 surface of the muddy bottom for small are thrown forward to their full length 

 mollusks and sea weeds. It is amusing and their legs are stretched out behind, 

 to see the Spoonbills at times walking one They seem to depend on the herons, with 

 behind the other, and often the one in which they associate, for warning of any 

 front is pushed ahead causing it to go approaching danger, for the herons are 

 through sundry antics, and occasionally very vigilant and watchful, 

 the maneuvers end in a fight. The an- The three to five white eggs which 

 tics of these birds are so interesting that are spotted with shades of olive-brown 

 I am afraid that my engagement in are laid in a nest which is a mere 

 watching them has often caused me to platform of sticks built in bushes, chiefly 

 neglect work in other lines of nature the mangrove, or in small trees, 

 study. Frank Morley Woodruff. 



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