Black-Faced Spoonbill

The Black-faced Spoonbill is a bird species distinguished by its flat, spoon-shaped bill. It is a migratory wintering bird and one of the world’s endangered species. Every year, from January to March, the Black-faced Spoonbill migrates to various regions, including Japan, the southeastern coasts of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, with Taiwan being its largest wintering habitat.

In Taiwan, efforts to protect the Black-faced Spoonbill have led to the establishment of a conservation area in Qigu, Tainan, which has been incorporated into a national park. In 1988, due to habitat destruction and climate change, the global population of Black-faced Spoonbills had dropped to just 288 individuals. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of BirdLife International, researchers, bird photographers, and bird enthusiasts worldwide, their population has significantly increased to 6,988 as of 2024.

Recently, I was deeply inspired by a documentary about the Black-faced Spoonbill’s ecology and conservation efforts. Motivated by the film, I began designing and creating a model of the Black-faced Spoonbill. I believe this creation can be submitted as an idea to LEGO IDEAS to raise awareness about the importance of conserving endangered species globally. After numerous refinements and parts optimization, this is my latest version, and I sincerely hope it will earn your support.

Project Description:

This model captures the elegance of the Black-faced Spoonbill in its wintering wetland habitat, complete with distinctive wetland plants such as Sea Purslane and Schoenoplectus. The Black-faced Spoonbill is depicted gracefully moving through the wetland, lowering its spoon-shaped bill into the water and sweeping side to side to forage for fish, shrimp, and other small invertebrates.

I also created a figure of a wildlife photographer inside a camouflage tent, aiming their camera lens outward to capture the birds in action. This is a tribute to professional and amateur bird photographers who capture stunning images for the public to enjoy and significantly contribute to bird conservation efforts.

Thank you all for your attention and support! I'm really grateful!