White Ibis

Eudocimus albusOrder: CICONIIFORMES Family: Ibises (Threskiornithidae)

Codes: Common Name: WHIB Scientific Name: EUDALB ITIS Taxonomic No.: 174930

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

White Ibis: This coastal species is white overall with pink facial skin, bill, and legs that turn scarlet during breeding season. Black tips on the primary feathers are only seen in flight. Flies in straight line formation with neck and legs outstretched, roosts high in trees and bushes at night.

Range and Habitat

White Ibis: Prefers coastal salt marshes, swamps, and mangroves. Found along the Gulf Coast, mid-Altantic coast and Mexican coast and has become common in some city parks. Breeds as far north as Virginia and casual as far north as New Jersey, mid-west and Southwest.

Topo Map:

Voice Text

"hunk-hunk-hunk-hunk"

Interesting Facts

When feeding, White Ibis often give a soft, grunting croo, croo, croo as they forage. They may fly up to 15 miles a day in search of food.

Around their colonies, ibises eat crabs and crayfish, which in turn devour quantities of fish eggs. By keeping down the numbers of crayfish, the birds help increase fish populations.

The main conservation concerns for white ibis are hunting and habitat loss. Birds and eggs are hunted for food. When the colony is disturbed by hunting, adults will leave their nests and the young may die.

A group of ibises has many collective nouns, including a "congregation", "stand", and "wedge" of ibises.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Jane Wright Splitbar

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

White Ibis

● Song: "hunk-hunk-hunk-hunk"

● Foraging & Feeding: White Ibis: Eats mainly aquatic crustaceans and insects. Forages by probing in shallow water with their long, decurved bills.

● Breeding & nesting: White Ibis: Two to four pale blue to green-white eggs with brown blotches laid in a nest made of sticks and reeds by the female with materials gathered by the male. Usually in a tree over water. Monogamous and usually nests in colonies with other wading birds.

● Similar species: White Ibis: Glossy Ibis only found in the East and White-faced Ibis similar to juvenile but has white underparts and rump.

Flight Pattern

Flap and glide with rapid wing beats in a straight line.

● Range & Habitat: White Ibis: Prefers coastal salt marshes, swamps, and mangroves. Found along the Gulf Coast, mid-Altantic coast and Mexican coast and has become common in some city parks. Breeds as far north as Virginia and casual as far north as New Jersey, mid-west and Southwest.

^BreedingMonogamous, Colonial

^PopulationCommon to abundant

^MigrationSome migrate

^Weight36.8 Ounces

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

White Ibis

Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips

Overview

Range and Habitat

Topo Map:

Voice Text

Interesting Facts

Bird Term Glossary

Author

White Ibis

Flight Pattern