Glossy Ibis at Santa ana NWR, 4/6/08

In my last post I mentioned spending some time examining an ibis in a flock of White-faced Ibis that I thought might be a Glossy. After posting the pics on Texbirds the vote is Glossy Ibis 9, White-faced Ibis 2. Glossy Ibis is a very local uncommon breeder in southeast Texas and more common farther east. It is very rare down here. Notice the slate-colored facial skin with a narrow white border in front of the eyes and brown eyes of the middle ibis. This time of year the White-faced have a reddish facial skin and red eyes. Some of the flock even had a broad white border surrounding the red facial skin.





So this makes Hidalgo County bird #333 for me and how many birders have seen a Blue Bunting and a Glossy Ibis in the same day? Not too many.