Photo: Jastrow / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
African Spoonbill
Platalea alba
African Spoonbill (Platalea alba) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Africa.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The African Spoonbill (Platalea alba) is a member of the Threskiornithidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 1.5 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pelecaniformes
- Family Threskiornithidae Ibises, Spoonbills
- Genus Platalea
- Species alba
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.5 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Threskiornithidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African Spoonbill hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The African Spoonbill is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The African Spoonbill (Platalea alba) belongs to the Threskiornithidae family of the order Pelecaniformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread s of the Sahara.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.5 kg, with a wing length of about 38.4 cm and a tail of around 11.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 14.2 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Spoonbill?
The African Spoonbill is a very large bird that weighs around 1.5 kg.
Where does the African Spoonbill live?
The African Spoonbill is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread s of the Sahara, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the African Spoonbill belong to?
The African Spoonbill (Platalea alba) belongs to the Threskiornithidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the African Spoonbill eat?
The African Spoonbill hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the African Spoonbill migrate?
The African Spoonbill is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the African Spoonbill endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the African Spoonbill make?
1 real field recording of the African Spoonbill — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Spoonbill's range?
The African Spoonbill has a mapped global range of about 14.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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