Plegadis chihi
The White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi, is a striking medium-sized wading bird, typically measuring 46-56 cm (18-22 in) in length with a wingspan of 90-95 cm (35-37 in) and weighing around 450-550g (16-19 oz). Its most distinctive field mark during the breeding season is a prominent border of pure white feathers encircling its deep red facial skin and eyes, contrasting sharply with its glossy, iridescent dark reddish-brown body plumage that shimmers with green and bronze in good light. Non-bree...
Primarily inhabits freshwater and brackish wetlands, including marshes, wet meadows, irrigated fields, and shallow lakes, typically at low to moderate elevations. It requires emergent vegetation for nesting and shallow, muddy substrates for foraging.
Feeds predominantly on aquatic invertebrates such as insects (beetle larvae, grasshoppers, dragonflies), leeches, and crustaceans (crayfish), supplemented by small fish, frogs, and occasionally seeds. Forages by probing mud and shallow water with its long, decurved bill.
White-faced Ibises are highly social and diurnal, often foraging in large, sometimes mixed-species, flocks during the day and congregating in communal roosts overnight. Their primary foraging strategy involves wading in shallow water or soft mud, using their long, decurved bills to probe tactilel...
The White-faced Ibis boasts a disjunct breeding range across two continents, primarily in western North America and much of temperate South America. In North America, breeding populations are concentrated in the western United States, from eastern Oregon and southern Idaho south through the Great...
Least Concern
- The iridescent plumage of the White-faced Ibis can appear black, green, purple, or bronze depending on the angle of light, making it a true jewel of the wetlands. - Its distinctive white facial border, a key identifier during the breeding season, is formed by specialized feathers, not bare skin...