African Spoonbill
Platalea alba
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPelecaniformes (Pelicaniformes)
- FamilyThreskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
- GenusPlatalea (Spoonbills)
- SpeciesPlatalea alba (African Spoonbill)
The African spoonbill (Platalea alba) is a long-legged wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The species is widespread across Africa and Madagascar, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The species belongs to the genus Platalea, which also includes species such as the Black-faced spoonbill, Eurasian spoonbill, and Roseate spoonbill. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Selous Game Reserve
Hadada
Bostrychia hagedash
African Sacred Ibis
Threskiornis aethiopicus
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
Hamerkop
Scopus umbretta
Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
Black-headed Heron
Ardea melanocephala
Striated Heron
Butorides striata
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Dimorphic Egret
Egretta dimorpha
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibis
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of African Spoonbill at Selous Game Reserve — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there