Editorial photo #10480954 Human Interest

American White Ibis

The American white ibis (Eudocimus albus) belongs to the family Threskiornithidae. It is found from Virginia via the Gulf Coast of the United States south through most of the coastal tropics.This particular ibis is a medium-sized bird with an overall white plumage, bright red-orange down-curved bill and long legs, and black wing tips that are usually only visible in flight. Males are larger and have longer bills than females. Immature Ibis are brown in color. Their diet consists primarily of small aquatic prey, such as insects and small fishes. Crayfish are its preferred food in most regions, but it can adjust its diet according to the habitat and prey abundance. Its main foraging behavior is probing with its beak at the bottom of shallow water to feel for and capture its prey. It does not see the prey. (Photo by George Wilson/NurPhoto)