White Ibis

The White Ibis is an entirely white-bodied wading bird except for black wingtips visible only in flight, paired with a distinctive long, down-curved bill and legs that flush bright pink to red-orange during the breeding season. Juveniles look quite different, showing brown upperparts and a white belly before molting into adult plumage over their first couple of years.

This is one of the most familiar wading birds in the southeastern United States, often seen in large flocks probing lawns, golf courses, and shallow wetlands with its curved bill, sometimes far from typical marsh habitat.

Key field marks

• All-white body with black wingtips visible in flight
• Long, down-curved pink to red-orange bill
• Pink to red legs, brightest during breeding season
• Juveniles are brown above with a white belly

Similar species

Adult Scarlet Ibis is unmistakably red rather than white, though hybrids and occasional white-with-red-tinge birds occur where ranges overlap. Egrets lack the curved bill entirely, distinguishing them at a glance from White Ibis.

Habitat

White Ibis use a wide range of wetlands, from coastal salt marshes and mangroves to freshwater marshes, flooded fields, and even lawns and parks near water.

Range and migration

The species is resident across the southeastern United States coastal plain, the Caribbean, and portions of Mexico and Central America, with some seasonal and post-breeding dispersal but no long-distance migration.

Behavior

Highly social, White Ibis forage, roost, and nest in large flocks, often mixing with egrets and other wading birds, and can become tame around people in urban parks.

Voice

A nasal, grunting "hunh-hunh-hunh" call, along with various honks given in flight and at colonies.

Feeding

It forages by probing its curved bill into mud, shallow water, or grass to find crayfish, crabs, and insects, relying heavily on touch rather than sight.

Nesting and breeding

White Ibis nest colonially in trees or shrubs near water, often in large mixed-species colonies; clutches typically contain 2-4 eggs.