Animal of the week: white-faced ibis | New

Scientific name: Plegadis chihi

Fame: ibis are long-tailed birds that many nature-program spectators associate with the water points of the African jungle or, perhaps, the swampy areas of the Nile or another well-known exotic river . However, several species of ibis reside in North America and one – the white-faced ibis – can be seen occasionally in Missouri. Although the bird is primarily a resident of states west of the Ozarks, it is occasionally spotted in the wetlands and marshes of Missouri when these birds make migratory trips to this region at sea. Autumn and spring.

Status of the species: The number of white-faced ibises appears to be decreasing, mainly due to habitat loss and heavy use of pesticides.

First discovery: the first scientific description of the white-faced ibis was written in 1817 by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot. Viellot was one of the first birdwatchers to study live birds (his predecessors and many of his successors, including the renowned John James Audubon, have frequently shot birds of all types to study them in detail). study seasonal changes in bird plumage. He has written scientific descriptions of 32 genera and 26 species of North American birds and an even larger number of birds from South America. In spite of these important achievements, Vieillot was eclipsed by later and better known ornithologists like Audubon and Alexander Wilson. Vieillot died in poverty and almost complete darkness in 1831.

Family Issues: White-faced ibises belong to the family Threskiornithidae birds. In this group, the white-faced ibis is often placed in the subfamily Threskiornithinae – a group called ibis. The ibises are waders characterized by long legs and long beaks facing down.

Length: 22 inches to 25 inches

Diet: The diet of white-faced ibises consists of crayfish, frogs, fish, snails, insects and various aquatic invertebrates that live in shallow marshes.

Distinctive Features: This long-legged bird is dark, brown in color with green or purple hues on the head and upper parts of the body. It has a narrow border of white feathers all around the base of its beak, hence the name "white-face". This ibis has red feet and feet and red bare skin on the face around the eyes. The most notable feature of this bird is its long beak (up to seven inches long) turned down. .

Lifetime: information not available

Habitat: During migratory stopovers in Missouri, white-faced ibises are typically found in freshwater wetland habitats including shallow water areas and pockets of emergent vegetation.

Life Cycle: The yard and breeding activities take place in the spring and early summer in the western states. The ibis are colonial breeders and will usually build a deep-cut nest made of reeds in walnut beds where they can nest in trees. The nests are lined with grasses. Broods usually consist of three to four blue-green eggs, which hatch in 21-22 days. The male and the female share the parental responsibilities of the incubation and brooding of the chicks. The boy leaves at four or five weeks. Ibis winters in the southern United States, in the Gulf Coast region and in Central and South America.