plataleidæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. (NL., ⟨ Platalea + -idæ.] A family of large grallatorial birds of the order Herodiones and suborder Ibides, typified by the genus Platalea, having the long flat bill dilated at the end like a spoon; the spoonbills, or spoon-billed ibises. There are 5 or 6 species, of various parts of the world, chiefly in tropical latitudes. They were formerly classed with the storks, but are more closely related to the ibises. See cuts under Aiaia and Platalea.