black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Synonyms: None
Platalea leucorodia Linnaeus, 1758
Common names: Bulg: Lopatar, Engl: Spoonbill; Rom: Lopatar, Russ: Kolpitza;
Turk: Kasikci; Ukr: Kolpytza, Kosaf
Taxonomic description. See Kostin, 1983. Around 200-250 pairs in the region.
RJCN Status
World level: EN
Black Sea Regional level: EN
Subregion level: EN
Distribution, Habitat type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. Breeds in the dense
reed-beds of brackish and freshwater bays and marshy downstream riverine areas.
Colonies usually well hidden, far from the shore. Feeding grounds within a 100
kilometer zone, visited irregularly. The major ones include open and semi-open
shallow waters, irrigation canals and rice-fields. Major limiting factors are water
pollution, degrading of reed-beds and the food reserves of the shallow riverine bays
and coastal areas.
Order CICONIIFORMES
Family THESKIORNITHIDAE
Biology. A breeding and migratory species. Arrives in March, in some years in early
April. The beginning of egg-laying depends on weather conditions and varies from
10 April to 15 May. Hatching at the end of May or early June. There are no
monospecific colonies in the south of Ukraine, whereas those mixed with other herons
are common. Nests are located on broken reeds near small straits or on open water,
either in the centre or at the periphery of the colony. Clutch size is 3 (2-5) eggs.
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