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Kotuku-ngutupapa - The Royal Spoonbill
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Steve Reekie (LordPotty)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1225 W: 146 N: 2831]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (8952) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2008-08-28 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 |
| Exposure: f/4, 1/250 seconds |
| Details: Tripod: Yes |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2008-09-03 4:37 |
| Viewed: 314 |
| Points: 12 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Kotuku-ngutupapa
Royal Spoonbill
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Threskiornithidae (plataleidae)
Genera: Platalea
Species: regia
Sub Species:
Description: Native bird, 77 cm., 1700g., white bird with long black spoon shaped bill and black legs.
In breeding plumage drooping plumes at the back of head.
Like white herons, royal spoonbills are widespread in Australia. Only six spoonbill sightings were
recorded in New Zealand prior to 1930. Since 1942, according to Oliver, birds have been seen every year
and seem to have started breeding here from at least the 1950s. In the summer of 1949–50 a single pair of
spoonbills bred alongside the white herons at Okarito. In the following years others joined them, building
up the colony to a peak by 1970. Through the 1970s little nesting occurred although spoonbills were
present each spring. In the 1980s there have usually been a dozen or more nests but very limited success in fledging chicks. The Okarito spoonbills build their nests in the exposed canopy of the tallest kahikatea
trees and regularly lose all their eggs or chicks in storms. They have extended their range and now breed
in a number of other places and numbers seem to be increasing every year.
At the end of the breeding season the spoonbills depart from Okarito but may be seen on the estuary of the Manawatu River where a fair number of them seem to gather for the winter. There are also very many to be
seen at Maketu and occasionally on Ohiwa Harbour in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
The spoonbill feeds on insects, shellfish, small fish and frogs. They are readily identified in the distance by the way they feed, walking and sweeping their spoon bill in an arc.
They were known to the Maori as kotuku ngutu papa, the board billed kotuku,so must have been visitors to New Zealand before European recordings.
(from:nzbirds.com) |
soccer, elizabeth, ramthakur, robindb, jrobertop has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
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- soccer
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 569 W: 0 N: 532]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(1927) - [2008-09-03 4:44]
- [+]
Steve,
Well composed pic in low light conditions. Not always easy to produce a quality pic in low light conditions.
TFS,
Sheriff
Nice shot, Steve. I like the drops of water dripping off the bill. The lighting has been well-handled and the pose of the bird is interesting, accentuating the shape of the spoon-shaped bill. The exposure is excellent.
Is that a duck about to go end-up in the background?
Cheers
Elizabeth
Royal Spoonbill is an apt name for this magnificent bird, Steve.
You have captured this action shot very well. I like the water drops sticking to the tip of its bill.
The atmosphere is really great in this picture.
Thanks and regards.
Hi Steve,
Nice composition and those drops on the beak make it. Light conditions a bit low which makes it difficult or maybe us South Africans are just used to strong sunlight.
TFS
Robin
Hello Steve.
Great capture of this beautiful bird!
Very good perpective and framing.
Interesting composition!
Best wishes,
José Roberto
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- joey
(21340)
- [2008-09-04 6:26]
- [+]
Hi Steve,
another excellent photo of this Royal Spoonbill.
I love the double drip on the end of its bill :-)
Very fine sharpness.
Great composition.
Superb exposure of the whites.
The duck in the BG gives a scale as to how big the Spoonbill is.
Well done, Steve!
Joe
p.s thanks for the email... great stuff! :-))
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 80 W: 41 N: 14]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-n.gif){kind=small}