Pelecaniformes / Threskiornithidae / Platalea
Black-faced Spoonbill
Platalea minor · 黑脸琵鹭
Introduction
A wading bird in the family Threskiornithidae found in eastern Asia. It has the most restricted distribution of the six spoonbill species and is classified as endangered. The species uses a tactile feeding method, sweeping its spatulate bill side-to-side in water to detect prey.
Description
Large water birds with dorso-ventrally flattened, spatulate bills. During the breeding season, adults develop yellow plumage extending from the back of the head to the breast. This breeding plumage only develops during the third or fourth year of life when the bird is sexually mature.
Distribution & Habitat
Confined to coastal areas of eastern Asia. Breeds on small rocky islands off the west coast of North Korea, with potential undiscovered colonies in northeastern China (e.g., Liaoning). Wintering sites include Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Jeju (South Korea), Kyushu, and Okinawa (Japan). Migration sightings occur in Thailand, the Philippines, and additional sites in China. The Jiuduansha site off Shanghai serves as a stopover.
Behavior & Ecology
Crepuscular feeders that use intertidal mudflats. They wade in water and sweep their beaks side-to-side to detect prey tactually. Breeding colonies are active between March and August on small islands. Only about half of individuals with breeding plumage breed each season. In winter, particularly in southwestern Taiwan, they rely on largescale mullets for food as they cannot catch large fish.
Conservation
Classified as endangered by the IUCN since 2000. The population declined severely in the 1980s but has shown an increasing trend due to conservation efforts. Global census counts rose from 288 (1988–1990) to 6,162 individuals (2022). Major threats include habitat destruction for agriculture, aquaculture, and industrialization, as well as human disturbance from photography and shellfish collecting. Disease outbreaks, such as avian botulism which killed 73 birds in 2002/2003, pose significant risks. The species is protected in China, Hong Kong, North Korea, and South Korea.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Threskiornithidae
- Genus
- Platalea
Distribution
breeds northeastern China and Korea; winters to southeastern Asia
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
