A trip to the incredible rookeries of the High Island Sanctuary on the upper Texas coast inspired this drawing of the stunning Roseate Spoonbill. The pink color may instinctively remind the casual observer of the flamingo, but few similarities exist between the species. The Roseate Spoonbill is a flashy bird of the wetlands, commonly found along the Gulf Coast. Their distinctive pink plumage is the result of a healthy diet of crustaceans. Critters such as crayfish contain a significant amount of carotenoids, which deposit in the spoonbill’s growing feathers, thus turning them pink!