The Spoonbill

The name Spoonbill is one given to six different birds within the Threskiornithidae family of birds. The waterbird is recognisable due to its bill, from where the bird gets its name.

Spoonbills are large birds, with long legs, legs which have evolved to allow them to wade through shallow water in search of food. Equally the bills of the Spoonbills have evolved to help them with this search as well. The bill is large, flat and reminiscent of a spoon. Colours for the bird and bill vary between types, although most are white with black bills.

Unlike many waterfowl and birds, the Spoonbills are normally solitary birds, rarely found in large flocks, nor will they accommodate other birds living close to them.

The African Spoonbill - Steve Roetz - CC-BY-2.0

There are as previously mentioned six different spoonbills, although they share many common features. There is the African Spoonbill, a large white bird, with pink face, and nests in African marshes. The Black-faced Spoonbill is an Asian variety, with its name representing its most distinguishing feature against a predominantly white body. The Eurasian Spoonbill is found across Europe and Asia, and even makes a presence in Africa. The Roseate Spoonbill is to be found in North, Central and South America, and is identifiable amongst the mangroves because of its bright pink colouring. Royal Spoonbills are found in Australasia and the Pacific Island, as is the Yellow-billed Spoonbill.

In the United Kingdom it is the Eurasian Spoonbill, Platalea Leucorodia, which can be seen, although only if you are lucky. There are only about fifty of the birds that can be seen in such places as the Exe Estuary reserves and East Anglia coastline.

The Eurasian Spoonbill - Andreas Trepte, www.photo-natur.de - CC-BY-SA-2.5

All Spoonbills tend to eat a similar diet, mainly consisting of small fish and aquatic insects. The bill has evolved to help with the feeding process. The bill being swept from side to side through the shallow water as the bird waded; any food that enters the bill cannot escape, as it shuts as soon as it is detected. It is not the most efficient form of feeding though, and Spoonbills do spend a high proportion of their day feeding.

Problems of gathering food do lead to some issues when it comes to breeding. Male and female Spoonbills mate for the season before separating, but during the season, the males will gather the material for the nest whilst the females make them. The nests are either low lying in amongst the reeds, or high up in trees.

On average the female will then lay three eggs, before each parent takes turns at incubating the eggs. The problems arise though on hatching, and a lack of food is the primary reason why the Spoonbill chicks fail to reach maturity.

The Spoonbills are relatively under threat and there are few places in the world where the unusual looking bird can be said to be common. Whenever people do get to see them though they are a bird that is hard to forget because of that great bill of theirs.

The Black Necked Swan

Native to South America, Cygnus melancoryphus, the Black-necked Swan is a close relation to the Black Swan of Australasia and the Mute Swan found in the northern hemisphere. One of the smaller members of the swan family, the Black-necked Swan is nevertheless the largest of the waterfowl to be found in South America.

Like most of its genus relatives, the Black-necked Swan is normally to be found in a wetland habitat, especially lake shorelines, lagoons and freshwater marshes. During the breeding season the Black-necked Swans are particularly abundant on the Falkland Islands, and across Patagonia (the southernmost points of Chile and Argentina). Numbers of the swan are estimated to be anywhere between 26000 and 100000, although like many other swans they are susceptible to pollution in their natural environment. Relative common, the Black-necked Swan is not under any particular threat, and has a couple of nature reserves in Chile and Argentina were it is protected.

The Black Necked Swan - Patche99z - CC-BY-SA-3.0

The Black-necked Swans are migratory although this means flying north to Paraguay and the southern regions of Brazil, during the southern hemisphere’s winter. When the swans flock together there is not the same amount of noise associated with other birds, as the Black-necked Swans are similar to the Mute Swans in that they are almost silent letting out a small whistle.

The breeding and wintering grounds both offer the types of environments where the Black-necked Swans can feed on their favoured food, namely algae, other plants, fish spawn and insects.
With sufficient food male swans can grow up to 140cm in length, with a wingspan of about 180cm. This means adult males can weigh in between 4.5kg and 6.7kg. Females are slightly smaller, and weigh a kilogram or more less than the male.

Black-necked Swan - Tony Hisgett - CC-BY-2.0

Like other members of the swan family, Black-necked swans are predominantly white, although as the name suggests the neck of the bird is black. Both male and female have greyish bills, with a red knob located just above the beak. The red knob on the male becomes larger during the mating and breeding season. Black-necked Swans will mate for life.

During the breeding season the female Black-necked Swan will lay between four and six eggs, and incubate them alone. When born the cygnets are a light grey in colour, but unlike many birds the parents will both do their turn in raising the youngster, indeed the cygnets will ride on both of the adult’s backs.

The Black-necked Swan is as beautiful and as graceful as the others in the species, and although not currently under threat will need work to ensure that it is preserved for future generations.

The Shetland Goose

Like the majority of European and North American domestic geese, the Shetland goose is thought to have descended from the Greylag. As the name suggests, the Shetland Goose was domesticated upon the Shetland Isles off of Scotland and quickly became a mainstay of the islands bird’s population.

The Shetland Goose is not a particularly heavy goose, with the gander weighing at its peak between 5.4kg and 6.4kg, the goose weighs a kilogram or so less. The most distinctive feature of the Shetland Goose though is its colouring. The gander of the species is always white, with the goose always grey and white. The head and upper neck of the goose is white, with grey more prominent around the lower neck, under-wing back and thigh areas. This colourisation also makes it very easy to sex any hatchlings, and this can be done within a couple of days

The gander will also have blue eyes. The goose will have brown eyes normally, although brown and blue mottled is not unheard of. Shetland geese will have reddish bills at the tip, with a more orange hue closer to the face, the geese will also have pink coloured feet and legs.

The colourisation of the Shetland Goose does lead to it sometimes being confused with the Pilgrim breed of goose, although the bill of the Shetland is smaller and of a different colour.

The addition of Shetland geese to a farm or smallholding has many advantages. The obvious ones of include the decent size of the bird when stocked as an eating bird, with the bird regarded to have a flavour reminiscent of game, additionally a Shetland goose is likely to provide up to 25 eggs. The Shetland though is also a great forager and will happily graze with no need to provide any extra food. It is also a good idea to mix the Shetland in with other animals, including livestock, as the Shetland Goose will help to control parasitic levels.

The Shetland Goose is now to be found in many areas of the world, although the British Isles remains the focus for the majority of the population. The Shetland Goose though has the ability to travel, as its strong wings allow for sustained flight, unlike many other domestic breeds of geese, including the Sebastopol Goose.

The Shetland Goose makes a good addition to any grouping of wildfowl and livestock, and although they are unlikely to become family pets, will help in many other aspects.

Copyright - First Published 5th March 2010