Platalea leucorodia

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CICONIIFORMES	THRESKIORNITHIDAE

Scientific Name:

Platalea leucorodia

Species Authority:

Linnaeus, 1758

Common Name/s:

English	–	Eurasian Spoonbill, European Spoonbill, Spoonbill
French	–	Spatule blanche

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Justification:
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Cape Verde; Chad; China; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; France; Gambia; Germany; Greece; Guinea-Bissau; Hong Kong; Hungary; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Mali; Malta; Mauritania; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Thailand; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Western Sahara; Yemen Vagrant: Belarus; Brazil; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Faroe Islands; Finland; Greenland; Iceland; Ireland; Latvia; Luxembourg; Maldives; Niger; Nigeria; Norway; Poland; Russian Federation; Sweden; Trinidad and Tobago; Uganda
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Countries:

Native:

Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Cape Verde; Chad; China; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; France; Gambia; Germany; Greece; Guinea-Bissau; Hong Kong; Hungary; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Mali; Malta; Mauritania; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Thailand; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Western Sahara; Yemen

Vagrant:

Belarus; Brazil; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Faroe Islands; Finland; Greenland; Iceland; Ireland; Latvia; Luxembourg; Maldives; Niger; Nigeria; Norway; Poland; Russian Federation; Sweden; Trinidad and Tobago; Uganda

Range Map:

Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour Palearctic breeding populations are fully migratory¹ but may only travel short distances⁴ while other populations are resident and nomadic or partially migratory¹. In the north of its range the species breeds in the local spring (e.g. from April) but in the tropics the timing of breeding coincides with the rains¹. The species usually nests in monospecific colonies or in small monospecific groups amidst mixed-species colonies¹. When not breeding the species forages singly or in small flocks¹ of up to 100 individuals² and migrates in flocks of up to 100 individuals (Africa)^{3, 4}. It is most active during the morning and evening (although in coastal areas it forages at low tide regardless of the time of day)², and often roosts communally up to 15 km away from feeding areas³. Habitat The species shows a preference for extensive shallow¹ (less than 30 cm deep) wetlands with mud, clay or fine sand substrates, generally avoiding waters with rocky substrates, thick vegetation or swift currents². It inhabits either fresh, brackish or saline^{2, 4} marshes, rivers, lakes, flooded areas and mangrove swamps, especially those with islands for nesting or dense emergent vegetation (e.g. reedbeds) and scattered trees or srubs¹ (preferably willow Salix spp., oak Quercus spp. or poplar Populus spp.)². It may also frequent sheltered marine habitats during the winter such as deltas, estuaries, tidal creeks and coastal lagoons^{1, 2}. Diet Its diet consists of adult and larval insects (e.g. waterbeetles, dragonflies, caddisflies, locusts and flies), molluscs, crustaceans, worms, leeches, frogs, tadpoles and small fish¹ up to 10-15 cm long². It may also take algae or small fragments of aquatic plants¹ (although these are possibly ingested accidentally with animal matter)². Breeding site The nest is a platform of sticks and vegetation constructed on the ground on islands in lakes and rivers, or alternatively in dense stands of emergent vegetation (e.g. reedbeds)¹, bushes, mangroves or deciduous trees (e.g. willow Salix spp., oak Quercus spp. or poplar Populus spp.)² up to 5 m above the ground¹. The species nests in colonies within which neighbouring nests are usually placed 1-2 m apart or touching². Breeding colonies are sited within 10-15 km of feeding areas, often much less (although the species may also feed up to 35-40 km away)².
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour Palearctic breeding populations are fully migratory¹ but may only travel short distances⁴ while other populations are resident and nomadic or partially migratory¹. In the north of its range the species breeds in the local spring (e.g. from April) but in the tropics the timing of breeding coincides with the rains¹. The species usually nests in monospecific colonies or in small monospecific groups amidst mixed-species colonies¹. When not breeding the species forages singly or in small flocks¹ of up to 100 individuals² and migrates in flocks of up to 100 individuals (Africa)^{3, 4}. It is most active during the morning and evening (although in coastal areas it forages at low tide regardless of the time of day)², and often roosts communally up to 15 km away from feeding areas³. Habitat The species shows a preference for extensive shallow¹ (less than 30 cm deep) wetlands with mud, clay or fine sand substrates, generally avoiding waters with rocky substrates, thick vegetation or swift currents². It inhabits either fresh, brackish or saline^{2, 4} marshes, rivers, lakes, flooded areas and mangrove swamps, especially those with islands for nesting or dense emergent vegetation (e.g. reedbeds) and scattered trees or srubs¹ (preferably willow Salix spp., oak Quercus spp. or poplar Populus spp.)². It may also frequent sheltered marine habitats during the winter such as deltas, estuaries, tidal creeks and coastal lagoons^{1, 2}. Diet Its diet consists of adult and larval insects (e.g. waterbeetles, dragonflies, caddisflies, locusts and flies), molluscs, crustaceans, worms, leeches, frogs, tadpoles and small fish¹ up to 10-15 cm long². It may also take algae or small fragments of aquatic plants¹ (although these are possibly ingested accidentally with animal matter)². Breeding site The nest is a platform of sticks and vegetation constructed on the ground on islands in lakes and rivers, or alternatively in dense stands of emergent vegetation (e.g. reedbeds)¹, bushes, mangroves or deciduous trees (e.g. willow Salix spp., oak Quercus spp. or poplar Populus spp.)² up to 5 m above the ground¹. The species nests in colonies within which neighbouring nests are usually placed 1-2 m apart or touching². Breeding colonies are sited within 10-15 km of feeding areas, often much less (although the species may also feed up to 35-40 km away)².

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The species is threatened by habitat degradation through drainage and pollution¹ (e.g. chlorinated hydrocarbons)², and is especially affected by the disappearance of reed swamps due to agricultural and hydroelectric development². Over-fishing and disturbance have caused population declines in Greece², and human exploitation of eggs and nestlings for food has threatened the species in the past^{1, 2}. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus⁵.

Major Threat(s):

The species is threatened by habitat degradation through drainage and pollution¹ (e.g. chlorinated hydrocarbons)², and is especially affected by the disappearance of reed swamps due to agricultural and hydroelectric development². Over-fishing and disturbance have caused population declines in Greece², and human exploitation of eggs and nestlings for food has threatened the species in the past^{1, 2}. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the virus⁵.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Platalea leucorodia. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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