Rare Bird Report 23-B-08

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Glossy Ibis

HOW MANY: 1

REPORTER: Cliff Weisse

REPORTER EMAIL: cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

OTHER OBSERVERS: Darren Clark / clarkd@byui.edu

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 11/2/2008

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 9/3/2008

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:
American Falls Reservoir north of the grain elevator on the east shore.

HABITAT: Reservoir CONDITIONS:
Observation was for approximately ten minutes with Nikon 10 x 42 binoculars and Swarovski 80mm HD scope @ 20-60x. Distance approximately 40 yards. Sun was above and behind observers, wind light/not causing any scope vibration.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: No, not at all

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: DESCRIPTION:
Adult non-breeding Plegadis Ibis with glossy green and rufous body plumage, gray legs, and plain brown head. Iris was seen in good light in direct comparison with White-faced and probable hybrid Glossy x White-faced Ibis (iris color intermediate between brown and red, facial skin with obvious purplish cast and paler/lavender colored lines surrounding facial skin) and was dark brown with no hint of red. We studied this feature in detail with direct comparisons to several White-faced that were in close proximity and in the same light conditions. White-faced present had obvious red iris and probable hybrid also had obvious red iris but not as bright as White-faced and easily visible at all times. Facial skin was dark, with no hint of reddish or purplish tones. There were pale whitish lines surrounding facial skin that were clearly on the skin/not bleeding into feathers surrounding the face. These pale lines were between the bill and eye did not extend around the eye. The photo doesn't show much detail but the iris is visible and appears brown in the photo. There is also a White-faced in the photo that shows obvious red iris.

BEHAVIOR:
Walking slowly along shoreline while foraging. No other behaviors were noted. Probable hybrid was in the same small group of ibis as the adult Glossy, approximately 7 individuals. There were other ibis present in scattered groups.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?
The bird was identified immediately upon seeing the facial pattern. We took some time to examine iris color and make comparisons with White-faced in close proximity and in the same light conditions to confirm the ID.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?
White-faced and White-faced x Glossy Ibis were eliminated by a combination of brown iris, dark facial skin with no hint of red or purple, pale lines on facial skin that were whitish with no hint of purple or red tones.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):
I've studied this identification for approximately 6 years. I've seen thousands of White-faced Ibis at close range and seen about 15 Glossy Ibis at close range. Also several probable white-faced x Glossy Ibis usually in flocks that contain obvious adult Glossy Ibis.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: 14 years

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo

Photo by Darren Clark