Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja), Canoa Ranch Conservation Park, Pima County

This Roseate Spoonbill was photographed by Cathy Beck on 24 August 2020.

Although considered a regular visitor to the state through the 1970's, it has been much rarer and less regular since, probably associated with the decline of waterbird habitat in the Colorado River Delta in nearby Mexico. However, an increase in records in recent years led the ABC to remove this species from the Review List in 2014.

This summer has been excellent for Roseate Spoonbill in southern Arizona, with at least seven different individuals found in August.

24 August 2020, photo by Cathy Beck