RECORD #: 7-A-06

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES:

Glossy Ibis

HOW MANY:

1-2

REPORTER:

Alexander "Sasha" Keyel
2150 E 2350 N Hamer, ID 83425 OR
1117 Augusta St Racine, WI 53402

262 639 3913

REPORTER EMAIL:

skeyel@gmail.com

OTHER OBSERVERS:

David Erickson

DATE REPORT PREPARED:

07/24/2006

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:

06/27/2006

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:

Sterling Wildlife Management Area, Orth Segment, Bingham County.

Birds were located past locked gate, one on a small dirt island, the other foraging just off of it.

Sterling WMA is located off of Hwy 39, about 2 miles north of Aberdeen

HABITAT:

Water/dirt island in cattail/rush marsh surrounded by arid grass/scrub

CONDITIONS:

Swarovski 60 HD spotting scope mounted on a window mount.

Sunny day, warm temperature, birds were within 60 meters in reasonable light

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:

No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:

Yes, during the observation

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:

Sibley Guide to Birds, David Sibley, 2000

DESCRIPTION:

Very clearly a dark ibis, Plegadis, dark bird, chestnut colored, long curved bill, long legged wader. Had pale bluish lines on the face terminating at the eye, legs were a grayish color

BEHAVIOR:

One bird was foraging in the water, just off the island, in the company of white faced ibis in breeding and non breeding plumage. The second bird was sitting up top the island with other white faced ibis.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?

The bird was Identified based on the clearly bluish facial skin terminating at the eye. Corroborative evidence was the grayer legs and the dark eye. The birds were adults in breeding plumage, so the eye and facial skin are diagnostic.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?

White faced Ibis lacked the bluish facial skin and had red eyes. All other species eliminated based on chestnut colored plumage, long legs, curved bill.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):

I have seen glossy ibis out of range in Kansas at Cheyenne Bottoms, and previously this year at Camas NWR.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:

Intermediate level birder, have been birding seriously for 1.5 years, moderately for 4 years prior to that, and casually for approximately 11 years.

Currently working as a Wildlife Technician for Idaho Fish and Game until end of July

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

Photo

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PHOTOS SUBMITTED, along with notes:

The first photo shows clearly the blue facial skin in the
correct pattern for a glossy ibis. The eye is also dark.

The second photo shows the same glossy facing us, with two white faced ibis
behind. The furthest back white-faced is in non breeding plumage, note
the lack of chestnut compared to the glossy and other whie faced. The
other ibis is in breeding plumage, but note that the white goes all
the way around the eye, that the eye contains a hint of reddish,
demonstrating that if the glossy had a red eye, it would have been
detected under the lighting conditions available.

The third photo is not as crisp as the other two, unfortunately the
light was worse for this individual. This bird was also a glossy,
note the bluish facial skin. I am not 100 percent positive that this
bird was a distinct individual from the previous photographs, but in
order to be a distinct individual, it would have had to have moved
twice across the island, an event I find unlikely, but possible.

Photos were taken with a Nikon Coolpix 3100, through a Swarovski 60 HD
scope mounted on a window mount.

Sasha Keyel