After watching the spoonbills interacting with their young at High Island recently it was obvious what a challenging job it is raising young. Most of the chicks are pretty big at this point and they continue to grow rapidly which means that they require a lot of food and also that they are getting pretty strong. In fact, many of the young spoonbills are able to fly short distances, which allows them to pursue the parents to beg for food even when the adults are away from the nests. The begging can often get rough with the young grabbing the adult’s head, tugging away at it until food is regurgitated. It seemed like this adult must have been desperate for a little peace when it flew over and landed on a branch right next to me. From such a close range it was much easier to observe just how textured the spoonbill’s beak actually is.

www.texastargetbirds.com

_MG_5037-web

Platalea ajaja