Naming Contest for Spoonbill Chick at Lincoln Park Zoo

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: February 19, 2021 9:20 am

The African spoonbill chick in the nest at the Lincoln Park Zoo

Photo Credit: Christopher Bijalba / Lincoln Park Zoo

The African spoonbill chick hatched at the Lincoln Park Zoo recently is ready to receive a name. You can vote on the public poll online until February 24th 2020.

Parents Luke and Annabelle hatched their chick on January 22nd 2021 as part of the African Spoonbill Species Survival Plan®. This is a cooperative effort between zoos to breed a genetically diverse populations of spoonbills in accredited zoos.

Since it hatched the chick has been growing well and has surpasses a range of milestones. It is yet to be determined if the chick is male or female. This is the second hatchling for Like and Annabelle after they welcomed Lucia in June last year.

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“African spoonbill chicks grow quite fast, with the chick becoming full grown and ready to leave the nest in about just six weeks”, said Curator of Mammals Mike Murray. “It’s been extraordinary watching the chick grow and pass critical milestones”.

Lincoln Park Zoo gave members the option to submit names for the chicks before the top five were chosen by Animal Care staff. You can see the five names below –

• Kijiko (kee-jee-ko), the translation of “spoon” in Swahili
• Lukabelle, a combination of parents Luke and Annabelle
• Alba, for the spoonbill Latin name, Platalea alba
• River, for the spoonbill’s native river habitat and Spoon River in Illinois
• Kazinga, for the Kazinga Channel in Uganda where spoonbills can be found

You can cast your vote for the chicks name on the Lincoln Park Zoo Website – Lincoln Park Zoo spoonbill naming

The African spoonbill chick interacts with mom at the Lincoln Park Zoo

Photo Credit: Christopher Bijalba / Lincoln Park Zoo

The African spoonbill has a unique appearance with the most remarkable feature being the elongated beak that ends if a flat, extended bulge which resembles a spoon. This is used to catch fish, crustaceans and insects. Their body is covered with white plumage except for the featherless red face.

The African spoonbill chick in the nest with its parents at Lincoln Park Zoo

Photo Credit: Christopher Bijalba / Lincoln Park Zoo

Learn more about the Lincoln Park Zoo on their website – Lincoln Park Zoo