About the Black-faced Spoonbill
The black-faced spoonbill is a species of wading bird in the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae, found in eastern Asia. This species has the most restricted distribution of the six spoonbill species, and is the only one regarded as endangered. Spoonbills are large water birds with dorso-ventrally flattened, spatulate bills; they use a tactile method of feeding, wading in the water and sweeping their beaks from side-to-side to detect prey. Confined to the coastal areas of eastern Asia, it seems that it was once common throughout its area of distribution. It currently breeds mostly on a few small rocky islands off the west coast of North Korea and South Korea, with four wintering sites at Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as other places where they have been observed in migration. Wintering also occurs in Jeju, South Korea, Kyushu and Okinawa, Japan, and the Red River delta in Vietnam. More recently, sightings were noted in Thailand, the Philippines, and at additional sites in China.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae) |
| Species | Platalea minor |
| Species Codes | blfspo1, BFSP |
| Conservation | EN Endangered |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Black-faced Spoonbill belong to?
The Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) belongs to the Ibises and Spoonbills family (Threskiornithidae), in the order Pelecaniformes.
What is the conservation status of the Black-faced Spoonbill?
The Black-faced Spoonbill is classified as "Endangered" (EN) by IUCN Red List.
How can I identify the Black-faced Spoonbill?
The black-faced spoonbill is a species of wading bird in the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae, found in eastern Asia. This species has the most restricted distribution of the six spoonbill species, and is the only one regarded as endangered. Spoonbills are large water birds with dorso-ven...
Where can I report a Black-faced Spoonbill sighting?
You can log sightings of Black-faced Spoonbill on eBird (ebird.org) using species code blfspo1, or on iNaturalist.