White Ibis (1 Viewer)

[Grousemore]

I was watching a small group of White Ibis this morning and noticed one with a distinctive throat 'pouch'.
I've looked in my books,including Sibley,but can find no mention of this feature.
I found reference to the scarlet colour of the facial skin,bill and legs,in breeding adults,which the pics I've attached show,but no pouch.
Any info.would be appreciated.

 

[Katy Penland]

Trevor, found this at

www.thewildones.org/Animals/whiteIbis.html

although I didn't notice what, if any, citation was listed there in support:

"Adult white ibis have white feathers with black wing tips. Their bare face and bill are red. When they are ready to breed, all or part of the end of their bills turn almost black in color. They develop red swollen pouches on their throat, almost as if they had the mumps!"

Edit: Found an additional post on a Florida birdlist's discussion of white ibis:

"Amazingly, the throat pouch on a white ibis with brilliant soft part colors indicates a female! Look at the next such bird you see, and note that the bill is a little shorter and less deeply decurved than other birds nearby. Those are males. The swollen pouch is present only at the onset of nesting, during courtship. Someone who has specifically studied white ibis courtship needs to provide additional details, but I think the swollen pouch serves to enhance social signaling: in "bathing parties" at the edge of the colony islands where we see them nesting, individuals perform a "head-rolling" display -- it looks like exaggerated preening of the feathers on the back of the head -- which shows off the throat pouch. My guess is, the message to other ibis is "I'm available!" Naturally, for a few weeks the sand bars where unpaired ibis gather are properly called singles bars... "

Katy

 

[Warbler]

Here's a quote I found from this website:
http://www.audubon.org/bird/BoA/F37_G1c.html

"The change in the colouring of the bill, legs, and feet of this bird, that takes place in the breeding-season, is worthy of remark, the bill being then of a deep orange-red, and the legs and feet of a red nearly amounting to carmine. The males at this season have the gular pouch of a rich orange-colour, and somewhat resembling in shape that of the Frigate Pelican, although proportionally less. During winter, these parts are of a dull flesh-colour."


Here's a website that has a picture of it similar to yours.

http://www.nsis.org/gallery/brd-ibis-white.html

 

[Dave B Smith]

Really interesting. I'd never noticed this.

 

[Grousemore]

Thanks,Katy and Warbler,I shall study those references in detail later.
On a quick scan though,it seems it could be a male,female or adult feature!