The White-Faced Glossy Ibis 



By Gerard Alan Abbott 



Description. — Adult: Head, neck, upper back, lesser wing-coverts, and en- 

 tire under parts, except under tail-coverts, rich purplish chestnut; remaining 

 plumage shining-, metallic green, bronze, violet, violet-green, purple, etc. ; ''lores 

 greenish in life, blackish in dried skins; feathers surrounding the base of the bill 

 blackish" (Ridgw.) ; bill black; feet and legs grayish black in life, drying dark 

 brown. Iminahirc: Head and neck dark grayish brown, minutely streaked with 

 white ; under parts dull grayish brown, acquiring purplish chestnut in increasing 

 intensity ; back and wings dark greenish dusky. Length 22.00-25.00 (558.8-635.) ; 

 wing 11.25 (285.8) ; tail 4.25 (108.) ; bill about 5.00 (127.) ; tarsus 3.50 (88.9) ; 

 middle toe and claw 3.50 (88.9). 



Recognition Marks. — Brant size, but appearing smaller ; dark, reddish and 

 shining bronzy coloration ; long, black, decurved bill. 



Nesting. — Not known to breed in Ohio. A^csf, of broken-down reeds, com- 

 pactly built and well-cupped, in swamps. Eggs, 3, deep greenish blue. Av. size, 

 2.01 X 1.47 (51.1 X 37.3). 



General Range. — Warmer parts of eastern hemisphere, West Indies, and 

 southern portion of eastern United vStates, wandering northward to New England 

 and Illinois. In America only locally abundant and of irregular distribution. 



ONLY the most meagre accounts exist of this little known and irregularly 

 distributed species. It remained undiscovered in America until 1817, when Mr. 

 Ord took a specimen on the eastern coast of New Jersey. Although at first 

 described under a new name, it is now known to be identical with the Old World 

 species, which thus enjoys a wide and rather remarkable range. It is believed 

 that this bird was known to Herodotus, and that it was held by the ancient Egyp- 

 tians in reverence second only to that accorded the Sacred Ibis (Ibis athiopica). 



The White Ibis resembles the ancient sacred ibis of the Nile, while in 

 habits it resembles the heron, crane and bittern. Inhabitants of warm climates, 

 in America their range is becoming restricted yearly. Eour varieties occur in 

 North America, the wood ibis and the white-faced glossy ibis like the white ibis 

 are peculiarly American, while the scarlet ibis is an accidental visitor. Some years 

 ago the white ibis was found in the southern swamps of Illinois and Indiana. 

 Of late years they have retreated to the wooded sections of Florida, Texas and 

 other gulf states. 



Ibises are gregarious, but unlike the herons and cranes are almost silent 

 birds. Their food is chiefly animal matter, such as frogs, craw^tish and minnow^s. 

 Their large beak is well adapted for extracting and crushing crawfish. 



The flight of the white ibis like that of the white pelican is picturesque. 

 They move in close ranks alternately flapping and saiHng, all birds moving the 

 wings simultaneously. As they pass through the sunlight the plumage glistens, 

 and the black markings on the wing show in marked contrast to the otherwise 

 immaculate plumage. 



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