Feathered Friends ~ Australian White Ibis
It was an odd looking bird, mostly white with a featherless black head and neck. It looked like an Ibis with a down-curved bill. This led me, initially, to identify it as a black-headed ibis, but not quite. When I checked its range, I discovered there are several closely related ibises around the world. This one is the Australian White Ibis.
The ibis is known as a wading bird, inhabiting swamps, lagoons, and grasslands in all but the driest parts of Australia, and while declining in those areas, it's on the increase in urban parks and coasts. It's disappointing to learn that such an elegant bird whose African cousin is called a Sacred ibis, is known as the sheep bird, bin chicken, dump chook or tip turkey for its urban foraging habits. In the wild, they eat fish, frogs and other aquatic creatures as well as insects.
The Australian White Ibis is approximately 65–75 cm (25–30") in length, with an average height of 72 cm (28"). Males are slightly larger than females. They reach sexual maturity at 3 years. Nests are typically shallow platforms of twigs, and grass built in tall trees near water. Usually, 2 eggs are laid that incubate for 21-23 days. The young chicks will leave the nest in 48 days.
In the wild, the Australian White Ibis lives approximately 28 years.
Thanks go to @melinda010100 for the excellent #featheredfriends.
References
Sacred, black-headed or Australian Ibis
Australian White Ibis
Images
Photos taken with my Canon SX620 HS in Sydney, Australia
@kansuze
Its walking around like it iwns the place lol.
Very interesting photos!
It's interesting that the ibis family successfully transition to urban life. In SA we also have an urbanised species, the hadeda. Large and noisy, they dig in gardens for grubs
What does transition is pretty interesting. Crows are known for it. Among animals, you might be surprised to learn that there are more skunks and raccoons in Toronto than in an equivalent area outside of the city.
Not so surprising, I was reading recently about how coyotes are urbanising successfully
Are you already in Australia? I was thinking that was your final destination on the six month trip. That guy's head up there looks a bit like a vulture head. I mean that as a complement - vultures are irresistibly ugly ;)
Nice to hear from you! I'm in Australia and I will spend most of my time here, currently in Tasmania but I have been in Hawaii, Sydney, and Perth area. I am far behind on my posting!
Oh good. I'm glad you've already checked some destinations off the list. Hope everything is lovely.
The areas are lovely in different ways. It had all been very dry and they finally got rain. Tasmania is cool at night and nice during the day, and its air is really fresh, they tell me some of the freshest on the planet.
This post was chosen to be voted by THEUNION.
Thank you!