A Roseate Spoonbill was recently spotted at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.
The Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is not seen along the Outer Banks very often. When they do pass through the region, they add a beautiful splash of color. They are mostly found in southern Florida, the Caribbean, coastal Mexico, and South America, which makes this feathered Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge visitor a rare sighting.
The Roseate Spoonbill is not the only recent pink addition to the refuge, a flock of flamingos that made a September appearance after Hurricane Idalia are still hanging around the outskirts of Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. In the bottom photo a flamingo is preening it's feathers behind the roseate spoonbill.
Like flamingos, the Roseate Spoonbills get their coloring from the aquatic invertebrates and crustaceans that they eat. Of the six worldwide spoonbill species, the Roseate Spoonbill is the only one found in North America,
With the fall season in full swing, and many wintering waterfowl starting to flock to the Outer Banks, it’s an ideal time to make a trip to the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge to see what other surprise visitors might make an appearance.
