Yellow-billed Spoonbill

1. Long, narrow yellow spoon-shaped bill and yellow legs

2. White plumage, sometimes with a slightly grubby appearance

3. Breeding adults show black facial outlines and black-tipped plumes

Yellow-billed Spoonbills are nomadic, moving in response to water availability. They feed by sweeping their sensitive bills through shallow water, detecting prey such as aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small fish. Both day and night feeding has been observed. Breeding occurs when water is plentifultypically July to November in southern Australia and March to May in the north. Nests are shallow platforms of sticks and reeds, built in trees or reed beds, often in colonies with other waterbirds. Females lay two to four eggs per clutch. The male collects nesting material, the female builds the nest, and both parents share incubation and care of the young.

Yellow-billed Spoonbills are found in freshwater and brackish wetlands, including farm dams, swamps, flooded paddocks, and irrigation channels throughout mainland Australia. They are absent from Tasmania and rarely use saltwater wetlands. These birds are often seen wading slowly in shallow water, and are more likely than Royal Spoonbills to frequent smaller or temporary waterbodies