Description:

A white ibis-like bird with spoon-shaped bill, long curved neck and dark legs. Adult has black bill with yellow tip; has crest and yellow breast patch when breeding. Juvenile has pink bill; in flight, shows black tips to primaries. In flight, neck is outstretched, and flapping is rather stiff and interspersed with gliding.

Distribution:

Rare passage migrant through the south-eastern parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, absent from north-west. Found near freshwater marshes, lakesides, rivers with surrounding vegetation, reeds, paddyfields and mudflats. From lowlands up to 3500m.

Behavior:

Species forages in small flocks, less often alone; wades methodically in shallow water, sweeping bill from side to side; sometimes runs after prey. Partly a nocturnal feeder. Largely carnivorous, taking adults and larvae of beetles, dragonflies, locusts and other insects; also other invertebrates and small vertebrates; sometimes algae, fragments of aquatic plants and other plant matter.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Eurasian Spoonbill in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Eurasian Spoonbill

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.