The Spoonbill Swamp

Depicts a swamp and the creatures that inhabit it, focusing on the day-to-day activities of spoonbills and alligators.

Deep in the swamp, a mother bird leaves her nest to find food for her babies. She is almost caught by an alligator. The alligator, who also has babies to feed, returns to her own nest just in time to scare away a raccoon.

It's early morning in a swamp. A roseate spoonbill is wading through a shallow pond. Slowly, the bird sweeps its long, spoon-shaped bill back and forth through the water. The colorful bird is feeling for small fish and shrimp. When its super-sensitive bill detects movement in the murky waters, the bird grabs its prey and gobbles it down. Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of its primary-grade audience, this colorful, fact-filled book gives readers a chance not only to learn all about roseate spoonbills and their swamp habitat, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking. Built-in activities, such as guessing how the bird got its name and finding objects equivalent to the weight of a newly hatched spoonbill chick, give readers a chance to gain insights beyond the facts and figures.

In the late 1800s, the roseate spoonbill was on the brink of extinction in North America. This large bird was hunted for its beautiful pink-and-white feathers, which were used to make hats and fans. However, conservationists and government agencies stepped in to help, and their efforts helped the roseate spoonbill population recover. These animals can now be found in the wetlands of Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. The birds’ future survival depends on protecting their habitat in the Gulf Coast region. In Roseate Spoonbill: Pretty in Pink, kids go on a real-life adventure with scientists in the field as they study these magnificent wild birds. Along the way, children will discover the roseate spoonbill’s life cycle, diet, behavior, and physical characteristics. Large, full-color photos and a dramatic narrative format will keep readers turning the pages.

Activities to expand children's favorite books. Primary grades.

Some of the world's largest and most spectacular birds are to be found among this group of wading birds. Tragically, they also include many of the world's most endangered species, as changes in land use erode their wetland habitats. Some like the White Stork have lived alongside humans for hundreds of years and are well known from numerous studies. Others, like the Storm's stork and ibises of West Africa, South-East Asia and South America live so secluded a life in the remote corners of the globe that they will probably be extinct before even the most basic details of their biology are known. In this monograph, three authors and two artists have combined their skills to capture what is known of this group of wading birds. The text opens with general chapters on taxonomy and feeding, breeding and behavior, followed by detailed coverage of each species. Feeding behaviour species list: American wood stork - mycteria americana: milky stork - mycteria cinerea: yellowbilled stork - mycteria ibis: painted stork - mycteria leucocephala: African openbill stork - anastomus oscitans: Asian openbill stork - anastomus lamelligerus: black stork - ciconia nigra: adbim's stork - ciconia abdimii: woolynecked stork - ciconia episcopus: storm's stork - ciconia stormi: maguari stork - ciconia maguari: white stork - ciconia ciconia: oriental white stork - ciconia boyciana: blacknecked stork - ephippiorhynchus asiaticus: saddlebill stork - ephipporhynchus sengalensis: jabiru stork - jabiru myceteria: lesser adjutant stork - leptopilos javanicus: greater adjutant stork - leptoptilos dubius: marabou stork: leptoptilos crumeniferus: shoebill - balaeniceps rex: American white ibis - eudocimus ruber: barefaced ibis - phimosus infuscatus: glossy ibis - plegadis falcinellus: whitefaced ibis - plegadis chihi: puna ibis - plegadis ridgwayi: sharptailed ibis - cercibis oxycerca: plumbeous ibis - harpiprion caerulscens: buffnecked ibis - theristicus caudatus: green ibis - mesembrinibis cayennensis: hadada ibis - bostrychia hagedash: wattled ibis - bostrychia carunculata: oliv ibis - bostrychia olivacea: spotbreasted ibis - bostrychia reae madagascar crested this - loghotihis cristata: sacred this - threskiornis aethiopicus: oriental white ibis - threskionis melanoaphaius: Australian white ibis - threskiornis molucca: strawnecked ibis - threskiornis spinicollis: waldrapp ibis - eronticus eremita: bald ibis - geronticus calvus: black ibis - pseudibis papillosa: giant ibis - thaumatibis gigantea: oriential crested ibis - nipponia