An African Spoonbill rests on the banks of Lake Nakuru in Kenya. This lake was formerly famous for its migratory flamingos; however, when heavy rainfall skewed the salinity balance that had been its primary attracting feature, yearly numbers decreased as the pink birds moved north. Nevertheless, the reserve centered on the water body is home to a variety of endangered animals, including the White Rhinoceros, Black Rhinoceros, African Lion, and Rothschild’s Giraffe, to name just a few.
The namesake contours of this bird’s bill offers it an evolutionary advantage: by opening its bill and swinging it side to side in the water, it not only demonstrates foraging specializations that have evolved over the years for different species, but also easily catches the crustaceans, insects, and fish it is partial to.
somewhere up a tree 