From Opus

Alternative Name: Australian White Ibis

Photo by julien
Victoria, Australia

Threskiornis molucca

[edit] Identification

Adult

• Bald black head and neck
• White body
• Black feathers near tail
• Dark legs
• Red skin on underside of wing
• Long down-curved black bill
  

Juveniles: head and neck are feathered.

Juvenile
Photo by julien
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, November 2007

[edit] Distribution

They are widespread in eastern and south western Australia.

[edit] Taxonomy

This species was not too long ago thought to be a part of the Sacred Ibis.

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

There are 2 subspecies:

• T. m. molucca:

• Australia to southern New Guinea, southern Moluccas and eastern Lesser Sundas

• T. m. pygmaeus:

• Solomon Islands (Rennell and Bellona)

[edit] Habitat

Freshwater wetlands, irrigated areas, dams, floodplains, brackish and saline wetlands, tidal mudflats, pastures, lawns, orchards, garbage tips, public gardens.

[edit] Behaviour

Sedentary, dispersive.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes fish, frogs, insects and garbage.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Animal Pictures Archive
3. Nation Master
4. BF Member observations

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• Arthur Grosset's Birds