White Ibis – Juvenile ForagingEudocimus albus February – Texas L=25” ...... WS=38” ...... WT=2 lb Order:Ciconiiformes (Herons, Ibises, Storks, New World Vultures, Allies) Family: Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills) White Ibises are in the same order as herons, storks, spoonbills, and New World vultures. They inhabit any area with shallow water or soft substrate. Their decurved bill is used to probe water or mud and they will, like spoonbills, sometimes swish their bill sideways and grasp prey that comes in contact with it.
Glossy Ibis – With Breeding Plumage ForagingPledgadis falcinellus April – Texas L=23” ...... WS=36” ...... WT=1.2 lb Order: Ciconiiformes (Herons, Ibises, Storks, New World Vultures, Allies) Family: Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills) The wisest of the Egyptian gods was Thoth, the patron of writing, astronomy, mathematics, law, magic, and healing. Thoth was usually depicted as an ibis headed man or as a full ibis. The ibis was relatively common throughout Egypt until the 19th Century, but now has almost disappeared. In North America during the 20th century the Glossy Ibis has gone from a rare species found predominately in Florida to a common breeder as far north as Maine This remarkable range expansion compares to the related White-faced Ibis which suffered greatly in the 1960's and 70's due to pesticides, draught, and drainage of mesting areas.
Black Vulture – SoaringCoragyps atratus April – Texas L=25”...... WS=59”....... WT=4.4 lb Order: Ciconiiformes (Herons, Ibises, Storks, New World Vultures, Allies) Family: Cathartidae (New World Vultures) Black Vultures cannot find food by smell and so are not as adept at finding dead animals as the Turkey Vulture. Where their habitats overlap, which is a very broad area in the southern half of the U.S., Black Vultures will follow Turkey Vultures to find food. Then, even though they are slightly smaller, the Black Vultures will dominate the Turkey Vultures and take the food. Turkey Vultures compensate for this by hunting for small animals that can be eaten quickly. Black Vultures have a higher wing loading (total body weight to wing area) and thus require stronger thermals to soar and have to flap their wings more frequently, a very energy intensive action. Consequently, Black Vultures have to wait later in the day to start hunting and they cannot live as far north as Turkey Vultures who live over the entire continental U.S. and into Canada.
