Ajaja

/ɑːˈhɑː.hɑː/ noun

Definition

A large wading bird with a distinctive flat, spatula-shaped bill, also called a roseate spoonbill, found in tropical and subtropical Americas.

Etymology

From Tupi or other indigenous South American language origins; the name mimics or derives from the bird's local indigenous names, preserved through Portuguese and Spanish colonial records.

Kelly Says

The ajaja's spoon-shaped bill is perfectly designed for its hunting method—it sweeps the bill side-to-side through shallow water, snapping it shut when it feels prey, making it one of the most specialized feeding tools in the bird world.

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