White ibis (Eudocimus albus)
The ibis is one of the many long-legged wading birds you will see around Siesta Key’s tidal pools, mangroves, and wetland areas.
With its decurved bill and mixed brown and white plumage, could this specimen be the product of an ibis/limpkin moonlit tryst? Not at all!
As this juvenile ibis matures, dazzling white plumage will emerge along with jet-black wingtips that are typically visible only in flight. During breeding season, the adult ibis sports vibrant reddish pink legs and bill to attract a mate. Ibises are content to stroll through wetlands, in chatty groups, with a certain nonchalance.
The long bill is ideal for probing the mud and snatching hidden worms, crayfish, and crabs.
The ibis is both a sociable and a territorial creature. Community foraging, flying, and nesting habits contradict the fierce, even violent, rivalry among ibis males who protect their nest, their mate, and their honor.
Author: Jan Baumgartner
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