Unknown Heron in Turkey! (1 Viewer)

[BirdingRob]

As one of only two contributors who has supported glossy ibis, I find your comments interesting. I am not sure we will ever know for sure what it is without more photos but at at least two other pieces of information may be possible. When was the photo taken? and if you know the area well - when do the ibises normally head south?

Rob

 

[Stuart Darbyshire]

Kuzeycem - you can't see the side of its head - we are looking directly on to its crown and the top of the bill.

It's funny Rob, but I really can't see Glossy Ibis in this bird at all - the way it's stood for a start is spot on for heron, but I can't find any Ibis pics with that "upright", wings pointing down stance.

 

[BirdingRob]

Stuart,

I understand what you say!

I actually don't think it looks exact for anything. It's pose is definitely like a grey heron but its head and bill seem consistent with (but not exclusive to) a glossy ibis. The green and purple sheens I think I am seeing remind me of an ibis too.

I have just wanted to have a conversation about a bird that I have been thinking is not an immediate shoe-in for juvenile grey heron. I have had more time to look for a picture of an ibis adopting the same pose as in the photo. I must admit I haven't found one and that has undermined that view. I have just had to visualise in my head what it might look like.

I am now returning to the second of my original thoughts. The possible sheens have reminded me of oiled birds but it could just be an artifact of the photo. The feathers look just a little bit lank to me. I wonder if it is a grey heron with some degree of staining or maybe I have just been fooled by the picture quality (not coping with greys). Perhaps the fact that all 3 pictures show the bird in a possible preening pose have nudged me in that direction.

Either way, I would still like to know when the photo was taken and the likely whereabouts of the local ibis population at that time if only for closure.

Rob

 

[paragtrinity]

The stance says Heron , not Ibis .