Black-Billed Hornbill(Platalea regia)
A large, bulky, long-legged waterbird with white plumage and black spoon-shaped bill, facial skin, legs and feet. During the breeding season, adults grow distinctive long white crest feathers on the back of the head or nape, up to 20 cm long in males. The crest is raised during mating displays revealing pink skin beneath. The bill is 136-220 mm long; the wingspan is 120 cm. Breeding birds have a creamy-yellow breast, a yellow patch above each eye, and a red patch in the middle of the forehead in front of the crest feathers.
Females are slightly smaller than males, with shorter legs and bill. Outside the breeding season the crest feathers are smaller and the rest of the plumage often appears soiled. Juveniles resemble non-breeding adults but are slightly smaller with a shorter bill, dark tips to the main flight feathers, and lack a crest and coloured face patches. When wading in shallow water it often submerges the bill and repeatedly sweeps it in a wide arc in search of prey.​ The end of the bill of the royal spoonbill is broader and works more like a pair of tongs than the narrower bill of the yellow-billed spoonbill, which acts like a forceps. They are also known as the Royal Spoonbill.
Habitat
They occur in intertidal flats and shallows of fresh and saltwater wetlands in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It has also been recorded as a vagrant in New Caledonia. The royal spoonbill lives in wetlands.
Diet
The royal spoonbill is carnivorous, catching small animals by sweeping its bill through shallow water and swallowing prey once detected. When slow sweeping, the spoonbill walks slowly with the bill perpendicular to the water surface (i.e. vertical) with the bill tip open about 2 to 4 cm, sweeping an arc of around 100 degrees in front of the bird. The bird walks slowly, kicking up debris and small animals from the bottom of the body of water, which it senses and catches with its bill. When an item is sensed, the spoonbill switches to intensive sweeping of a small area. Royal spoonbills also probe submerged plants directly for prey, and seize prey such as spiders above ground. They have also been observed dragging their bills through shallow water alongside them while walking.
Breeding
Colonial and semi-colonial annual breeder. Breeding birds gather at nesting sites in October. Mixed groups of unpaired birds gather to form bachelor parties and begin displaying, often in trees near the breeding colony. Males spar more often than females, extending their necks, bill gaping, and jabbing and wing flapping. Courtship involves circular or figure-of-eight flight displays over the breeding area with exaggerated flight noise. Both sexes bow while clapping bills and quivering heads, raising and lowering crest plumes. Mutual preening follows once the pair bond is established. Greeting display involves repeatedly nodding with open bill, 45° above and below horizontal, and crest fanned. Nests in colonies alongside water, usually with other waterbirds. The bowl-shaped nest of sticks is lined with leaves and other vegetation, and usually placed in the crown of a tree over water or among tall reeds. Nest sites may be reused in consecutive years. Monogamous during breeding season; 2-4 dull white eggs with brown blotches laid November-February. Both adults share incubation of 20-25 days, and feeding of young by partial regurgitation. Chicks fledge after seven weeks. Juveniles are fed by both adults for several weeks after fledging. Young birds forage alongside parental adults for some time before family group disperses to traditional wintering site.
Population
According to the IUCN Red List, they are classed as Least Concern(LC). The population is suspected to be fluctuating owing to fluctuations in wetland habitats. In 1977 the New Zealand population was estimated at 52 birds. The most recent estimate was in 2012 and the number of birds 2360. A colony and nest count during the 2013-14 breeding season found 19 colonies with at least 614 nests.
Threats
The main threat to the Royal spoonbills is that they are sensitive to disturbance during the breeding season, and are vulnerable to development and recreational activities.
Conservation
As this species is widespread and common in its range, there are currently no conservation actions for this species.