Nature Walk: White-faced and Glossy Ibis

To the average casual birder, the discovery of a white-faced ibis as well as a glossy ibis in a local wetland is a cause for excitement. In the continental U.S., it is generally considered a western species and occasionally found in the Midwest during migration. From a distance, their plumage appears a deep dark brown, but in bright light, it has a blue-green cast especially in the wings. This pair was excited, had been eating and bathing and seemed to be preparing to continue their migration northward. A breeding population occurs in NE South Dakota. – Carl Kurtz