Wednesday, August 17, 2011

White-faced Ibis

 This year with all the flooding and high water, the White-faced ibis has invaded Madison County.  Flooded fields and pastures that have never been available for these birds to feed in still have water standing in them.  These create new feeding area for the long billed birds looking for worms and snails to feed on. 

Here a flock of ibis fly into a flooded pasture to look for food.


They are not really black, but their iridescent body and wing feathers are set off by a rusty brown back.


Flocks of over 300 would gather in fields and pastures.


Their long sensitive bill probes the flooded ground looking for lunch.  Here one finds a snail.  The trick is to get their food from the end of a six to eight inch bill into its throat.  Practice makes perfect.
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21 comments:

  1. JillAugust 17, 2011 at 4:31 AM

    Great shots!

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  2. Carol BlackburnAugust 17, 2011 at 5:10 AM

    Hello Bill, wonderful shots. Isn't nature amazing?

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  3. jooAugust 17, 2011 at 6:10 AM

    Beautiful set of photos! I love especially the first one!

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  4. UnknownAugust 17, 2011 at 6:14 AM

    I love that last shot with the Ibis tossing back the food. Very cool!

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  5. AnonymousAugust 17, 2011 at 6:58 AM

    Fantastic shots! The first shot is amazing!

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  6. TexWisGirlAugust 17, 2011 at 10:00 AM

    the last shot is such a great catch! wonderful!

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  7. UnknownAugust 17, 2011 at 10:31 AM

    That doesn't look easy though!! Nice shots. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  8. theconstantwalkerAugust 17, 2011 at 11:58 AM

    A lovely bird to see.

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  9. jeanlivingsimpleAugust 17, 2011 at 1:38 PM

    It must be a cool to see flocks of this large. Super captures!

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  10. holdingmomentsAugust 17, 2011 at 3:00 PM

    I've never seen one of these before Bill.
    A great feeding trick they have.

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  11. eileeninmdAugust 17, 2011 at 4:43 PM

    Isn't it cool to see large flocks of these birds. Love the snail shot, but they are all wonderful photos.

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  12. SpringmanAugust 17, 2011 at 8:11 PM

    A fantastic look into the habits of these specialised birds. Crazy how quickly these birds moved into Madison county. Fields still flooded? What a strange year!

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  13. LarryAugust 18, 2011 at 4:45 PM

    Wonderful captures Bill! I love watching these seemingly prehistoric birds as they fly over in huge flocks and land in the shallow waters to feed.

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  14. Hilke BrederAugust 19, 2011 at 3:13 AM

    Wow! Amazing photos,Bill, especially the first and the second one! Congrats!

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  15. ArijaAugust 19, 2011 at 4:06 AM

    Oh my goodness, al those Ibis . . . how can you pick one from another?

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  16. MichelleAugust 20, 2011 at 5:36 AM

    Excellent photos and I love that curved beak.

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  17. Sallie (FullTime-Life)August 26, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    I love these birds! We first saw them in Utah, near Bear Lake. It took me a while to figure out what they were, because white-faces are not neceessarily the first thing you notice about them ;>)

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  18. DawnSeptember 7, 2011 at 4:55 AM

    Wow! What a bill to practice with! (I would have like something a bit shorter to practice with I think:)

    My son came running up our hill yesterday....all VERY excited and thrilled he saw a "massive owl fly right by me!". I think it was his first "fly-by-owl" he's ever had. A Great-Horned at that. There is something so amazing being passed by a beautiful bird.

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  19. Kathie BrownOctober 12, 2011 at 8:16 PM

    Love these birds! Love the last photo of the bird with the snail in its bill!

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  20. Esther GarviOctober 18, 2011 at 6:12 AM

    Iris are such beautiful birds! We have the glossy Iris here in West Africa. Love your shots!!

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  21. AFTERMATHFebruary 28, 2012 at 7:48 AM

    I've only ever seen one of these and it was a pretty big deal birding wise here in Maine. We don't get many of them. If a flock showed up we'd all crack up! Enviable shots

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