The White Ibis

While in Florida, I visited the J. N. Ding "Darling" Nature Preserve. My husband and I took a four mile hike in hope of seeking out the neotropical birds that I have come to truly love. We were lucky to find large colonies of White Ibises, perched in trees, swimming, fishing, and just posing for the camera!

While I did get some great photos, I was able to research the White Ibis. Below, are some facts, figures, and fun information about this heron-like wading bird.

The White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) hails from the family Threskiornithidae. They are long-legged, marsh waders, who share their habitats with herons and egrets. There are thirty species in the world, but only three of them inhabit the Americas. The White Ibis seeks out warm temperated areas, but have slowly become acclimated to some of the slightly cooler weather in the southern United States. White Ibises range anywhere from the southeast United States on down to South America. They have been spotted as casual strays in Northern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Sometimes, they even fly as far as Wyoming, Idaho, and Oklahoma. This is referred to as an "accidental stray".

The White Ibis ranges in height from 22-27" (55-68 cm) tall with a wingspan of approximately 97 centimeters. They have entirely white feathers except for the wings, which are tipped in black. The face can be anywhere from a dull pink color to a dull red. Their bills and legs are the same color as their facial feathers. During breeding season, the adult birds develope a bright red wattle under their bill. White Ibis nests are built as platforms of sticks at various levels in trees. The female ibis lays a clutch of 3-4 eggs that are greenish in color with brown spots. Immature birds are mostly brown, but during flight, their developing white feathers are very noticeable.

Ibises are very sociable birds, and they both live, and feed in flocks. Fishing is done in a group. The catch is surrounded and slowly directed into shallow water, where a feeding frenzy becomes apparent as activity increases, and the birds dip into the water, surfacing with the treasured catch in their bills. The feeding area of preference is usually in coastal salt marshes, swamps, and mangroves. They sweep their long, downward curved bill (also known as a decurved bill), in the water from side to side, probing at the bottom for crustaceans, which are the mainstay of their diet. They also feed on insects, frogs, snails, marine worms, snakes, and small fish.

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