MARSHFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - A rare roseate spoonbill was spotted in Marshfield this week, sending local birdwatchers flocking to the area to get a look.
The pink bird was first seen at the Brant Rock Town Pier Wednesday.
According to the South Carolina Aquarium, the birds’ pink plumage can be caused by the food they consume in the wild. Spoonbills forage mainly in marshlands for small crustaceans and fish which can contain red and yellow pigments, called carotenoids. Some scientists believe they more carotenoids they consume, the pinker they become.
The spoonbill is native to Southern states including Florida and North and South Carolina, but experts said it’s likely the bird became disoriented due to the recent stormy weather and ended up in the Northeast.
“This bird might have gotten caught in the recent windstorm that we had last week, and without any choice, the bird ended up here,” said Jack McDonald, a bird watcher from Marshfield.
Often recognized because of its flat, spoon-shaped bill, the bird will typically wade around in the water while it splashes around for a meal.
“It seems like the birds like low tide rather than high tide, because it’s a little easier for them to pick up the little minnows and little fish and things,” said McDonald.
This marks the second-ever known spotting of a spoonbill in Massachusetts, and the first in Plymouth County.
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