BRDL 31

2/23/22 - WHIB- White Ibis

First BRDL doing together with my daughter. (We had done the one last night, too, but I had already completed it). We have both seen tons of these birds during our visits to Florida. They are pretty common overall. A few things I didn't know about their characteristics. Their bills, which are famously curved down at the end, do not start out that way. Baby ibises have straight bills that curve after a few weeks. Second, first year ibises are not white -- they are brown above. Finally, there seems to be some question as to whether white ibises and scarlet ibises (more common in South America) can hybridize, and how frequently, and whether or not they are in fact the same species, but different morphs.