BirdWalk Newsletter 8.13.2017 Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Walks conducted by Perry Nugent Newsletter written by Jayne J. Matney Cover photo by John Nickerson I usually do not write in first person for a reason. I am not the subject but rather the birds are the subject. I taught that lesson every year to my students in middle school and high school science classes when they were preparing to write lab reports and scientific research. However, today I am breaking my own rule just for a brief introduction to the ibises. Why? I have fond memories of these birds having worked for three years at a zoo which had a shorebird aviary. Each year, we would go to Drum Island under the Cooper River Bridge and collect a few for our aviary. They would be held in our barn stalls for a few weeks, then released into the aviary. I would help care for these wild birds in the interim. Even though the herons and egrets showed their disapproving nature by trying to strike at us each time we walked into the stall to feed and water them (I had to protect my eyes and I did go home with a few extra bruises), the ibises were gentle, curious little creatures that adapted to our presence with zeal. Each morning when I came into work, they would be waiting for me and would greet me at the gate, and each day I was surprised by and amazed at these little birds. I developed a fondness for this type of bird in the days that followed. So, here is my tribute to the ibises out there; thank you for the memories. White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) and Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus): Photo by Guenter Weber Photo by Richard Hernandez In general, the ibises are very easy to distinguish from other wading birds by their long curved beaks and probing behavior. Both are medium sized wading birds, but the names indicate their main visual differences. The White Ibis is white (black only on wing tips) with bright pink to reddish legs and beak. The Glossy Ibis, on the other hand, is dark bird with gray to black legs. When in flight, they have a stretched out neck and in front and stretched out legs trailing behind them. They live and breed in colonies, feed in flocks, and migrate together. The White Ibis is more common here in North America and only found in North America, while the Glossy Ibis is found more worldwide (North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia). Neither type of ibis is on the Partners in Flight Watch List. Both types are social animals. Both are most vulnerable to habitat destruction. Florida is a perfect example of the decreased numbers there even though they are increasing in other southeastern areas. The characteristic that helps in stabilizing the numbers is their ability to adapt to being closer to people. Therefore, they not only look for their preferred marshes, Photo by Jo Frkovich swamp land, and ponds, they also have adjusted to using flooded farmlands and fields. Typically, they are looking for shallow water of less than 8 inches to wade through and find bug larvae, insects, worms, snails, frogs, snakes, crayfish and small crabs. They probe down in the mud for their snacks or sweep their bills side to side in shallow water. When they find something they clamp down on it like a tweezer would and pull it out to eat. White Ibis doing a “leg-stretch” Photo by Jo Frkovich When setting up their colonies, they are known to find new places each year. Males generally pick the colony sites before attracting the female. To attract their mates, the male will shake his head, Photo by Marcie Daniels do lots of preening behaviors and bathing (they want to show good hygiene?), and show off their acrobatic talent with spirals in the air. “Bill popping” is another known behavior where they grab sticks into their beaks and pop their bills on the sticks by biting down over and over. The courtship then progresses in a rough way by grabbing and shaking the females head. Once the female recognizes her mate, they will bond by greeting each other with sticks, cross necks as in a “neck hug”, and preen each other as monkeys are known to do. The females usually chose the nest site. The male then brings the sticks while the female does most of the building of a platform type of nest. The difference between the White Ibis and the Glossy Ibis is their choice in where the nest may be located. The White Ibis prefers trees with nesting sights of up to 15 feet while the Glossy Ibis choses shrubs or low trees close to or hanging over water. The eggs are different between the two types as well. The White ibis has pale blue- green eggs with brown blotches, while the Glossy Ibis has pale blue or green eggs without the blotches. For both birds, the male and female incubate the eggs and the male is very aggressive in defending the female and the nest. Young ibises tend to require a long period of care by the parents. They are much slower than other wading birds to forage on their own or fly on their own. The practice time is extended until they are confident in their skills. 60 days is not unheard of for these young birds to begin their independent lives. Photo by Cathy Padgett Fun Facts: When baby ibis are hatched, their beaks are straight and begin to bend at 14 days in age. The White Ibis is the mascot for the University of Miami football team. Their resilience during hurricanes is said to be the reason for their role. Ibises will feed young mostly from local freshwater areas even if salt water habitats are close by. They seek our freshwater animals because the young are not tolerant of high levels of salt. Ibises have been observed “washing” their muddy food in the waters before swallowing. Ibises remove claws from crustaceans such as crabs and crayfish before swallowing. Safety first! As sweet as ibises tend to be compared to other wading birds, they have been known to have some mischievous tendencies such as stealing nesting material from others and sometimes stealing food! According to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the oldest Glossy Ibis was at least 21 years old, while the oldest White Ibis was at least 16 years and 4 months old. The information gathered for this article came from: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “White Ibis”, All About Birds, 2017; The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Glossy Ibis”, All About Birds, 2017; Kaufman, Kenn, “Lives of North American Birds”, Audubon Field Guide. Left- Immature (intermediate plumage) Glossy Ibis Photo by Marina Coppedge Right- White ibis amongst colorful foliage Photo by Marina Coppedge On Sunday August 13th, 2017, our 2 participants headed out with Ray Swagerty to find the avian species found here on the plantation. Despite the humidity, heat, and drizzling rain of the day, 36 species were logged. __________________________________________________________ The highlight of the day: Joan, from Greenville, S.C., saw one of her “life-birds” today! Ray found out that the Least Bittern was a bird she had yet to see, so when they made their way to the large impoundment, diligence paid off! As usual, this elusive bird was first heard, then eventually seen. Congratulations to Joan, her husband, and Ray for seeking and finding! See more about the Least Bittern in the 7.23.17 Newsletter! __________________________________________________________ A large “kettle” of Anhinga were spotted early in the walk. Therefore, 70 Anhinga were in the entire count. Particular to the large impoundment were the Least Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Tri-colored Heron, Common Moorhen, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Common Grackle. While Laughing Gulls were fly-overs there, one Belted Kingfisher was heard making its “rattle call” and then eventually seen. Our solo American Coot is still thriving there. Particular to the cabin area were Red-shouldered Hawks, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Yellow- throated Warblers. In the Audubon Swamp cemetery, two Pileated Woodpecker and the Great-crested Flycatcher were viewed. Also in the Audubon area of the plantation, Black-and-white Warbler came into view along with Little Blue Heron. One of the two Eastern Bluebirds seen on this day was singing while perched atop a “snag” of a tree in the swamp. In Ravenswood, Little Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron (the juvenile being seen for weeks now), and the Wood Duck made their mark. Eight Mississippi Kite were located; six were in a group together flying about in circles. Black and Turkey Vulture were seen overhead along the way. Two Tufted Titmouse were seen- one adult and one juvenile which did not yet show signs of a crest. White- eyed Vireo and Carolina Chickadee were scattered throughout the property. Rounding out the list: Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow Warbler, and Northern Cardinal. The Osprey, Common Yellowthroat, Prothonotary Warbler, Parula, Ibis, and Tree Swallows were the more obvious missing species this week. Photo by Guenter Weber “You are the sky. Everything else- it’s just the weather.” Pema Chodron .