▁its ▁bill . ▁ ▁The ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁bill ▁of ▁the ▁royal ▁sp oon b ill ▁is ▁bro ader ▁and ▁works ▁more ▁like ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁tong s ▁than ▁the ▁nar ro wer ▁bill ▁of ▁the ▁yellow - bil led ▁sp oon b ill , ▁which ▁acts ▁like ▁a ▁force ps . ▁ ▁Fe eding ▁The ▁royal ▁sp oon b ill ▁is ▁car n iv orous , ▁catch ing ▁small ▁animals ▁by ▁swe eping ▁its ▁bill ▁through ▁shall ow ▁water ▁and ▁sw allow ing ▁pre y ▁once ▁detected . ▁When ▁slow ▁swe eping , ▁the ▁sp oon b ill ▁wal ks ▁slowly ▁with ▁the ▁bill ▁per pend icular ▁to ▁the ▁water ▁surface ▁( i . e . ▁vertical ) ▁with ▁the ▁bill ▁tip ▁open ▁about ▁, ▁swe eping ▁an ▁arc ▁of ▁around ▁ 1 0 0 ▁degrees ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁bird . ▁The ▁bird ▁wal ks ▁slowly , ▁kick ing ▁up ▁de br is ▁and ▁small ▁animals ▁from ▁the ▁bottom ▁of ▁the ▁body ▁of ▁water , ▁which ▁it ▁sens es ▁and ▁catch es ▁with ▁its ▁bill . ▁When ▁an ▁item ▁is ▁sens ed , ▁the ▁sp oon b ill ▁switch es ▁to ▁int ensive ▁swe eping ▁of ▁a ▁small ▁area . ▁Royal ▁sp oon b ills ▁also ▁pro be ▁sub mer ged ▁plants ▁directly ▁for ▁pre y , ▁and ▁se ize ▁pre y ▁such ▁as ▁sp iders ▁above ▁ground . ▁They ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁observed ▁drag ging ▁their ▁b ills ▁through ▁shall ow ▁water ▁alongside ▁them ▁while ▁walking . ▁ ▁Pre y