Roseate Spoonbills looking for food at St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

I discovered these Roseate Spoonbills in the freshwater marshes in several areas of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Until two weeks ago, I had never seen or heard of the Roseate Spoonbill. I’m assuming they have always been around but my timing was not right until this year. Like the American Flamingo, the Roseate Spoonbills get their pink coloration from the carotenoid-rich organisms like shrimp that they eat.

Roseate Spoonbill preening feathers at St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge, Florida