Spotted Eagle Ray Colouring

The spoted eagle ray is a graceful fish with pointed wings, a projecting snout and a very long whip-like tail. It lives in warm tropical and subtropical coastal seas, including much of the Atlantic, Caribbean and Indo-Pacific. Eagle rays often glide over sandy flats, lagoons, seagrass beds and coral reefs, sometimes alone and sometimes in small groups. The broad body disc can reach about 3 metres across, and an animal with an undamaged tail may measure close to 5 metres from snout to tip. Its exact lifespan is difficult to measure in the wild, but eagle rays are thought to live for many years, possibly a few decades. The upper surface is usually dark blue, blackish or olive with a beautiful pattern of pale spots. Underneath, the mouth contains flat plates that crush clams, oysters, snails and other hard-shelled food. The shovel-like snout helps the ray search in sand and mud. When swimming, its pectoral fins rise and fall like a bird's wings. Spotted eagle rays can even leap above the surface, although the ray in this page is gliding calmly above the sand with its tail curling behind. Colour the top of the ray deep navy, blue-grey, dark olive or purple-blue. Leave the belly pale. Make the outlined spots white, cream, pale blue or yellow so they contrast clearly with the darker back. The long tail can match the body, becoming slightly lighter toward the tip. Use a dark colour for the eye but preserve a tiny white shine. Colour the sandy seabed with tan, peach or pale gold. Shells may be pink, cream or orange, and the seagrass can be green or teal. Layer light turquoise and ocean blue in the open water, taking care not to cover the bold outlines. Smooth strokes from the centre toward each wing tip will make the fins look broad and silky. Follow the curve of the tail with one long stroke at a time. You may add a few bubbles or a tiny distant fish, but keep the space open so the ray's shape remains clear. This page is perfect for practising spots, gentle curves and strong dark-and-light contrast while learning how an eagle ray searches the seabed.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

Download JPEGHigh-resolution A4 image Download PDFPrint-ready A4 file

Make it an activity

Choose a favourite colour palette
Add a simple background
Display the finished artwork

Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.