English naturalist John Gould gave The Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) its regal title because of the stunning, elegant breeding plumage it displays during the mating season. Native to Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, adults grow a majestic, 20-centimeter-long head-dress of white feathers along with bright pink skin under their wings and a buttery-yellow wash on their chest that give them a regal, crowned appearance. The Royal Spoonbill thrives in wetlands and tidal estuaries, utilising vibration-sensitive bills to hunt fish and crustaceans in murky waters. In New Zealand, where their populations have expanded dramatically since the 1940s, they are called Kōtuku ngutupapa. This translates roughly to "white heron with big black lips".
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