Observation shows that the black-faced spoonbill is not a voracious feeder. The birds feed standing in water up to about their knees, pushing their spoon-like bills forward through the water, twisting to left and right in an "S" pattern. When the tip of a bird's bill touches a fish or other food in the water, it swiftly snaps shut its bill over its prey and swallows it.
根據觀察，黑面琵鷺的覓食能力並不強，它們在水深約達膝部上下的水中覓食，以匙狀的嘴，以左右 S 形的方式向前推進，當喙緣觸到水中的魚類或其他食物時，即迅速以上下喙捉緊食物吞食。