Bird Gallery Index

White-faced Ibis (breeding plumage) image © Dr. David McDonald.

Family: (Threskiornithidae) Ibises and Spoonbills

Preferred Habitat: Marshes

Seasonal Occurrence: Common spring through fall. Uncommon in winter. Nests in our area.

Notes: In breeding plumage, the White-faced Ibis lives up to its name with a bright white band of feathers bordering its red facial skin. Its legs and eyes are also red. Winter birds are very difficult to distinguish from the much less common Glossy Ibis. Both species in winter are a soft dark brown in color. If close-up looks are possible, White-faced Ibises may be recognized by their red eyes. White-faced Ibises prefer freshwater marshes. They nest colonially, building their nests either in trees or on mats of dead vegetation. Numbers are declining throughout North America. Possible causes include the use of pesticides and loss of wetlands. In Texas they are listed as a threatened species.
- Susan Billetdeaux

White-faced Ibis (breeding plumage) image © Dr. David McDonald