Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is in the Ibises and Spoonbills family (Threskiornithidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 26,980 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Roseate Spoonbill: observations by month (U.S.)
About Roseate Spoonbill
The roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) - sometimes placed in its own genus Ajaia - is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. It is a resident breeder in South America mostly east of the Andes, and in coastal regions of the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, the Gulf Coast of the United States, and from central Florida's Atlantic coast at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, adjoined with NASA Kennedy Space Center at...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Roseate Spoonbill by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 12,778 | January | Dec–Nov |
| Texas | 9,925 | April | Aug–May |
| South Carolina | 1,247 | September | May–Oct |
| Louisiana | 971 | April | Mar–Jan |
| Georgia | 618 | June | May–Oct |
| Arizona | 226 | October | Aug–Mar |
| North Carolina | 161 | August | Jun–Oct |
| Virginia | 143 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Mississippi | 135 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Delaware | 112 | September | Jul–Sep |
| Alabama | 97 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Maryland | 83 | July | Jun–Aug |
| New Jersey | 78 | August | Jul–Sep |
| New York | 61 | July | Jul–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 41 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Ohio | 39 | September | Aug–Sep |
| California | 38 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Pennsylvania | 31 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Arkansas | 30 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Michigan | 25 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Tennessee | 19 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Connecticut | 15 | September | Jul–Sep |
| Missouri | 14 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Illinois | 12 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 11 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Indiana | 10 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Kentucky | 9 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Wisconsin | 8 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Maine | 7 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Kansas | 6 | September | Aug–Sep |
| New Mexico | 6 | August | Aug–Aug |
| West Virginia | 6 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Minnesota | 5 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Oklahoma | 5 | August | Aug–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Ibises and Spoonbills)
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Roseate Spoonbill?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to February.
Where is Roseate Spoonbill most often seen?
The most observations come from Florida, Texas, South Carolina.