- any of several wading birds of the family Plataleidae, related to the ibises, having a long, flat bill with a spoonlike tip.
- any of various birds having a similar bill, as the shoveler duck.
- the paddlefish.
- any of several wading birds of warm regions, such as Platalea leucorodia (common spoonbill) and Ajaia ajaja (roseate spoonbill), having a long horizontally flattened bill: family Threskiornithidae, order Ciconiiformes
