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Glite Dictionary
spoonbill

spoonbill

1 7.4
A large bird that wades in shallow water with a long flat bill like a spoon
  • noun
  • /ˈspuːnˌbɪl/
translation icon : espátula
  • A bird enthusiast's dream, the islands are an essential breeding area for colonies of ibis, pelicans, spoonbills, cormorants, silver gulls, and terns.
  • a roseate spoonbill

Examples

  • One (a spoonbill?) has an open beak and stands on a column that is divided at the base; the other has a curved beak and stands on an elaborately shaped base.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The Everglades were best known for herons, ibises, wood storks, spoonbills, and various other wading birds whose flocks could number in the thousands.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The African Spoonbill is white in contrast.

    Academic text (2006)

  • The most spectacular scene for me was when these pink spoonbills flew by at sunset.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Posted by: Roseate Spoonbill, October 19, 2009, 1:05 AM

    Blog text (27)

  • Roseate Spoonbill:

    Blog text (27)

  • PHOTO (COLOR): Roseate Spoonbill Resting; Ding Darling NWR -- Sanibel Island

    Academic text (2000)

  • "Pelicans, ibises, egrets, herons, spoonbills, ospreys, and many others live at the refuge; and all are free to stay or to leave.

    Academic text (2004)

  • While visiting the wetlands, we saw a roseate spoonbill wading through the shallow water with its distinctive flat bill.

  • The roseate spoonbill, known for its vibrant pink color, often gathers in large groups near lakes and marshes.

Synonyms

roseate spoonbill
vsspoonbill
  • US
1 9.8

A large pink bird with a spoon-shaped bill that stands in shallow water

is the general name for such birds worldwide, not this pink species
Platalea
vsspoonbill
  • Specialized
9.9

A large long-legged bird that lives in shallow water and has a spoon-shaped bill

is the common general name covering many related species worldwide
genus Platalea
vsspoonbill
  • Specialized
9.6

A group of large wading birds with long legs and spoon-shaped bills

is the broader everyday name used for these birds, not a scientific group
Ajaia
vsspoonbill
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of large wading birds with spoon-shaped bills that live in the Americas

is a worldwide common name not limited to any single region
Platalea leucorodia
vsspoonbill
  • Specialized
9.9

A large white bird with a long flat bill shaped like a spoon that feeds in shallow water

is the general name for similar birds worldwide, not only this white species
common spoonbill
vsspoonbill
  • UK
5.1

A large white wading bird with a spoon-shaped bill found in parts of Europe, Asia, and northeastern Africa

is the wider common term covering many species, not just that one

Compounds

roseate spoonbill
  • US
1 9.8

A large pink bird with a spoon-shaped bill that stands in shallow water

common spoonbill
  • UK
5.1

A large white wading bird with a spoon-shaped bill found in parts of Europe, Asia, and northeastern Africa

spoonbill catfish
  • US
8.2

A large freshwater fish with a flat head and long spoon-shaped snout for finding food in muddy water

Surface Forms

spoonbill singular
spoonbills plural

Morphology

spoonbill = spoon + bill (transparent) = spoon + bill

A straightforward compound referring to a bird whose bill is shaped like a spoon, so the meaning is directly derived from its components.

Etymology

The word spoonbill is made of two words, spoon and bill. The spoon part reminds us of the bird's broad, 'spoon-shaped' tip and bill means 'beak', so a spoonbill is a bird with a wide, flat beak used to sweep shallow water and catch food.