Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis
Green Cay, Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
April 2015
Member of the Spoonbill and Ibis Family
§A Stand of Ibises§

~true bird fact~ Glossy Ibises are extremely nomadic as a species. Although they originated in Africa, they have naturally expanded their range to include parts of Europe, Asia, Australia, and North and South America as well. All this expansion was actively happening as recently as the 19th century. No one brought them to any of these places, they just got there. Glossy Ibises are one of those birds that widely disperses after breeding season, meaning they pretty much just fly everywhere and try to settle down in new areas. I respect that kind of attitude and life style. Hey, cool, ibis

Seamlessly enters new social circles
Has a great sense of perspective. Doesn't sweat the small stuff
Frustrated by over-coddling, or by parents 'spoiling' their children
Likes gooey foods

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill
Green Cay, Boynton Beach, Florida, USA
April 2015
Member of the Spoonbill and Ibis Family
§A Bowl of Spoonbills§

~true bird fact~ Most people know that the distinctive color shared by Rosey over here and his compatriat Flamingo comes from algae in the small crustaceans they mainly eat. Sadly, his unique coloration has also made him the target of poachers. Populations declined in the 1800's, when Spoonbill wings were popularly made into fancy fans.

Likes to weird people out with counterculture behavior and appearance
Would adopt pit-bulls, make a big deal out of it
Rich mom and dad
As the world changes to be more progressive, and his enemies fewer, he finds himself a little bit lacking in purpose





Amateurnitholog (author's notes)
Well, here it is blog followers, one birding resolution well and truly accomplished! Spoonbill is totally one of the birds I was most interested in finding during my recent travels to South Florida, and boy did he deliver. He was sitting totally cooperatively on a branch right along the boardwalk trail, but as you'll all see in coming weeks, he was far from the only interesting find. Propers to Green Cay and Wakodahatchee Wetlands, which are both incredible birding spots- really nicely maintained and well-attended. When I was a kid growing up in Florida, places like this didn't really exist there. It's heartening to see Florida embracing it's natural beauty and wildlife a little more with places like these.

Also of note- I posted this as a Holiday Special bird because 1) he looks like a Star Wars alien, and today is not-real-nerd-holiday May the Fourth 2) he is a predominantly South American/Mexican bird, and tomorrow is actual-real-holiday Cinco de Mayo. This bird looks like he would enjoy cracking open a Corona, huh?

White Ibis

White Ibis aka. American White Ibis
Lake Worth, Florida, USA
Member of the Ibis Family
§A Colony of Ibises§

~true bird fact~ According to Native American folklore, the Ibis is a symbol of both bravery and danger. He is the last bird to flee from a hurricane and the first to reappear after one.

~fascinating environmentalist digression~ An environmental toxin called methylmercury in increasingly building up in The Everglades, a traditional haven for White Ibises. Male ibises that ingest a large amount of this chemical display decreased interest in wooing females and tend to build nests with other male birds instead. Although actual survival rates of the bird don't seem to be impacted, this leads to obvious problems in population growth rates. That's sure a thing, huh?


Had many adventures in his life, but you'd never know if by looking at him
Appreciates quiet, mild pastimes
Loves his coffee. Actually a bit of a connoisseur in this one area
Is concerned about his legacy