Around the Watershed in 80 Days

Roseate Spoonbill, photo by Ken Duke

This Roseate Spoonbill photo was taken last December in Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island Florida, but they do grace the Altamaha watershed with their presence on their travels up and down the East Coast which shows the connectivity of our watershed systems. These wading birds have been sited from the HWY 17 bridge in Brunswick and on St. Catherine's Island. What an awesome sight they are to see.

When feeding, the bird sweeps its spoon shaped bill in the water to sift up food like small fish, shrimp, mollusks, snails, and insects. Their rose-pink color is derived from the crustaceans in their diet, another benefit of our coastal shrimp populations.

Roseate spoonbills were driven to the brink of extinction by hunters supplying the millinery trade in the late 19th century. The plumes were also used as fans and their population suffered severely as a result of plume hunters. Only a few dozen breeding pairs of roseate spoonbills remained in North American in the early 1900s. Spoonbills received legal protection from hunting in the 1940s and have responded well to extensive restoration efforts. Although they are no longer listed as an endangered species, roseate spoonbills are extremely sensitive to environmental change and provide insight into the overall health of their habitat.

Working together to keep our watershed a better place to live. Stay tuned for more beautiful watershed wonders.

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Around the Watershed in 80 Days

Photos from the Watershed

What it's about? What can I do to contribute?

The Altamaha Delta, where the Altamaha River meets the sea.
The Sidney Lanier Bridge

Hepatica

Darien Shrimp Fleet

Roseate Spoonbill

Anhinga, what makes this photo so special?

Egrets with Mating Plumage

Cypress Forest - Miller Lake

Help Protect our Beautiful Wildlife

High Tide - Sunset

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