Roseate Spoonbill vs Buff-necked Ibis
Platalea ajaja compared with Theristicus caudatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Roseate Spoonbill | Buff-necked Ibis |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Platalea ajaja | Theristicus caudatus |
| Order | Pelecaniformes | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Threskiornithidae | Threskiornithidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 81.0 cm (31.9 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 127.0 cm (50.0 in) | 78.6 cm (30.9 in) |
| Weight | 1500.0 g (52.91 oz) | 1708.0 g (60.25 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects, and plant material filtered from shallow water by sweeping the … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Roseate Spoonbill only
Buff-necked Ibis only
Roseate Spoonbill
Shallow coastal lagoons, estuaries, mangroves, and freshwater marshes. Nests in colonies in trees and shrubs.
Song & Call Comparison
Roseate Spoonbill
Low, grunting and guttural croaking sounds at nesting colonies. Generally quiet. Alarm calls are softer croaks. Vocalizations lack melodic quality; purely functional colony sounds.
Buff-necked Ibis
Geographic Range & Migration
Roseate Spoonbill
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America to Argentina.
Buff-necked Ibis
Conservation Status
Roseate Spoonbill
Buff-necked Ibis
How to Tell Them Apart
Roseate Spoonbill
Vivid pink body plumage with darker carmine on the wings. Bare greenish-grey head. White neck and back. Intensity of pink depends on diet.
Long, flat, spatulate greyish bill used for sweeping through shallow water
Buff-necked Ibis
About These Birds
Roseate Spoonbill
The roseate spoonbill is the only spoonbill species in the Americas and one of the most striking wading birds in the Western Hemisphere. Like flamingos, their pink color comes from carotenoid pigments in their crustacean prey. Nearly hunted to extinction for their plumes in the 19th century, they have recovered substantially.
Buff-necked Ibis
71–76 cm. White head and neck with rusty tone; black back; buff breast; bare yellow facial skin. Widespread in South America from Colombia and Venezuela south to Argentina in open savannas and grasslands. Feeds on invertebrates, lizards, and frogs. Common; often in pairs or small groups.