WOOD IBIS 267 



Distribution in California— Regular and common summer visitant along 

 lower Colorado River; irregular and less common visitant in midsummer 

 through southern California. Recorded by Cooper (1887, p. 90) as having been 

 seen north to San Francisco Bay and the San Joaquin Valley. No authentic 

 instance of breeding on the Pacific slope north of the Mexican line. 



The Wood Ibis is a tropical species of wide distribution in Central 

 and South America. In the United States it is common only in 

 Florida and along the Gulf Coast to southern Texas. After the breed- 

 ing season, and when the young are fully grown, both old and young 

 are in the habit of moving northward to the swamps along the Missis- 

 sippi Eiver, particularly in southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois, 

 which at this season of the year swarm with their favorite food. In 

 similar fashion the breeding birds of the coast of western Mexico 

 work northward in summer after the nesting season. They are espe- 

 cially common in the valley of the lower Colorado River, and also 

 appear, though irregularly, throughout southern California (Cooke, 

 1913, pp. 22-24). 



The Wood Ibis is the only member of the family of true storks 

 to be found in California. Along the lower course of the Colorado 

 River it is regularly found during the summer season, but in other 

 southern parts of the state it is more or less of a straggler. The most 

 recent records of its occurrence within the state are : Daggett, San 

 Bernardino County (Lamb, 1912, p. 34) ; near Long Beach, Los 

 Angeles County (Law, 1912a, p. 41) ; and near Los Angeles (Willett, 

 19126, pp. 194^195). The earliest seasonal record within the state 

 is for May 18, and the latest August 5. The northernmost record 

 stations are on San Francisco Bay (Cooper, 1887, p. 90). 



The Wood Ibis cannot be confused with any other bird found in 

 California; for no other large crane-like bird has a bald head, white 

 plumage, and black-tipped wings and tail. The extremely long bill, 

 stout at base and slightly curved downwards toward the tip, is like- 

 wise diagnostic. This bird stands over three feet in height and thus 

 presents a conspicuous figure about the open margins of shallow ponds 

 and on marshy land and the shores of streams, where it forages. 



Nests of the Wood Ibis have never been found in California, the 

 species apparently requiring a warmer and moister climate than ours 

 during the breeding season. In the Gulf states the Wood Ibis like 

 the herons selects dense cypress swamps for its breeding grounds, and 

 nests in colonies. The nest is built of sticks and is placed in the 

 tallest of trees. The cavity is deep and usually lined with moss. Eggs 

 have been found in Florida as early as December 8 and January 5. 

 Consequently this species must be considered one of the earliest of 

 birds to breed (Cooke, 1913, p. 24). According to Audubon (1843, 

 VI, pp. 68-69, 70) the young are entirely dusky gray, with brownish 



