Description
The Royal Spoonbill is a large, white bird with a black, spoon-shaped bill. It is approximately 80 cm (31 in) tall, 74–81 cm (29–32 in) and a weight of 1.4–2.07 kg (3.1–4.6 lb). It is a wading bird and has long legs for walking through water. It eats fish, shellfish, crabs and amphibians, catching its prey by making a side-to-side movement with its bill.
The end of the bill of the Royal Spoonbill is broader and works more like a pair of tongs than the narrower bill of the Yellow-billed Spoonbill, which acts like a forceps.
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