White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi


White-faced Ibis
Pictures above and below show breeding-plumaged White-faced Ibis, which I usually see in the marshes of Sierra Valley on the east side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. These spectacular birds nest on freshwater lakes and marshes in the interior west, and winter in large numbers in California's Central Valley, as well as south to Mexico and Central America. In breeding plumage, they have a chestnut neck and head, iridescent chestnut on the back and wing coverts, iridescent green, rose, and purple on the flight feathers, legs and facial skin red when the breeding hormones are at their highest level, a border of white feathers (which gives the bird its common name) around the bare skin of the face, and all year have red irises. The Glossy Ibis of eastern North America are very similar, but in breeding plumage lack the white feathering, have dark facial skin with a light border rather than solid red, and dark rather than red irises.


White-faced Ibis


White-faced Ibis
Above and below, breeding plumage White-faced Ibis in flight.


White-faced Ibis


White-faced Ibis
Above and below, wintering birds showing the non-breeding plumage, with the head and neck striped gray, no chestnut, no white feather border to the face, and the rainbow of olive, rose and purple iridescent shades in the wings.


White-faced Ibis