IBRC #69-B-09

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: White-faced Ibis
HOW MANY: 1

REPORTER: Darren Clark 208 356-0026
REPORTER EMAIL: clarkd@byui.edu
OTHER OBSERVERS:

DATE REPORT PREPARED: 12-3-2009
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 12-2-2009
LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Burton, ID (Madison County) Lat/Long 22
HABITAT: Spring fed slough (stays open all winter)
CONDITIONS: I observed the bird from considerable distance (3-400 yards) at first looking into the sun. I had an idea what it was, but the light was terrible and the distance was far. I knocked on the land owner's door and was granted permission to walk closer. I walked back to the location and all of the birds (ducks and Great Blue Heron) flushed. The Ibis stayed. I got close enough to make a positive identification (as a dark Ibis). It then croaked and flew off. I was using Nikon Venturer 8x32 binoculars and was always looking into the sun.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: No, not at all
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: Sibley - big one

DESCRIPTION: >From a distance it was obvious the bird was a heron or Ibis, the bill was partially obscured and the distance was great and the light was terrible. As I go closer it was obviously an Ibis based on the long decurved bill and overall dark coloration. There was no light coloration anywhere on the bird. The bird was smaller than nearby Great Blue Herons. It had long legs and when feeding kept its head down and fed in a probing and side to side motion. The light was bad and I can't positively say whether the bird was an adult or a juvenile or whether it was really a White-faced or Glossy Ibis. I hope to re-find it in better light and get photographs.
BEHAVIOR: The bird was probing the mud and feeding with a sort of side to side motion. It was really far at this point though and specific details were hard to ascertain. When I got closer the bird just stayed still until it flushed. When it flushed it did vocalize and gave sort of a gutteral gwaa gwaa gwaa.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? I thought it was a dark Ibis when I first saw it, but the bill was obscured, the distance was great, and the light was terrible. I thought there was a possibility it could be a Little Blue Heron. As I got closer though, it became obvious it was a Dark Ibis based on the long legs (nearly as long as the body of the bird), long decurved bill (2.5-3 times the length of the head at least), long neck, and overall dark coloration.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? The only other birds in silhouette that would be similar are White Ibis (the bird was dark overall with no white), Long-billed Curlew (the bird was dark overall with no light brown tones), and Glossy Ibis (I can't with confidence eliminate Glossy Ibis)

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): I've seen tens of thousands of White-faced Ibis in Idaho, Utah, and Louisiana primarily. I've seen hundreds of Glossy Ibis, mostly in Louisiana, but some in Idaho. I've also seen thousands of White Ibis in Louisiana.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: I've been birding for 17 years or so. I consider myself a really good birder and a careful observer.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: None