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Australian White IbisAlternate name(s): "Black-necked Ibis", "Sickle-bird"; formerly "Sacred Ibis" Size: 65-75 cm Weight: 1.7-2.5 kg (male), 1.4-1.9 kg (female) |
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See Australian
White Ibis at Wikipedia ![]() |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Full-frontal view of an Australian White Ibis in breeding
plumage; note
white plumes
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[The Spit, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]
Close-up lateral portrait of an Australian White Ibis in breeding
plumage; note the
plumes on the upper chest
(photo courtesy of J. Ross-Taylor)
[Gold Coast, QLD, June 2014]
Lateral view of an Australian White Ibis in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Regional Park, near Anstead, QLD, April 2017]
Dorsal view of an Australian White Ibis in breeding
plumage;
note the filamentary structure of the plumes
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Goondiwindi, QLD, February 2013]
Lateral view of an Australian White Ibis on the point of take-off;
the extensive, bright pinkish-red skin on the underwing may indicate
that the bird is ready for breeding
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2023]
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NON-BREEDING |
Frontal view of an Australian White Ibis in non-breeding
plumage
shaking dry its feathers (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Coast, QLD, May 2017]
Near-frontal view of an Australian White Ibis in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, NSW, April 2016]
Lateral view of an Australian White Ibis in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Port Fairy, VIC, April 2022]
Small colony of Australian White Ibises on a bank of
Narrabri Lake,
together with two Silver
Gulls
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, May 2006]
Closer look at a flock of Australian White Ibises
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2007]
A whole array of aquatic birds hunting/foraging in O'Brien's
Creek at Narrabri, NSW:
three White-necked
Herons, two
Australian White Ibises
in non-breeding plumage,
two Great Egrets,
one Purple Swamphen,
one Dusky Moorhen
and two Pacific Black
Ducks
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2011]
Near-frontal/ventral view of an Australian White Ibis in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2011]
Lateral view of an Australian White Ibis in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2010]
Flock of Australian White Ibises in flight, with the characteristic
black tips of the primaries clearly visible
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2008]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, March 2018]
Lateral view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis; note the
mottled grey nape of the neck
[Narrabri, NSW, January 2009]
Close-up lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, March 2018]
Juvenile Australian White Ibis waiting in a tree to be fed;
when they are that young they are actually still white
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2009]
Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2012]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis
- note that this bird not only has a dusky head, but also its
entire back is dusky
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2023]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis
looking sideways
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2022]
Dorsal view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis looking sideways
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, February 2012]
Lateral view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis in flight
[Pilliga Wetlands Walk, NSW, November 2019]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a juvenile Australian White Ibis in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2012]
Here a dependent juvenile Australian White Ibis being fed
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]
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Twitcher's tip |
Here an example why one should never take things for granted while bird-watching: In October 2011 three birds flew over our property. The photo below shows two of them - identification as Australian White Ibis is easy.
Australian White Ibis seen from underneath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]
A second photo shows the remaining third bird and only closer inspection later, on the computer, showed that it had slightly different features...
The third bird turned out to be an "interloper"...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Aug - Dec | Eggs: 2 - 5 | Incubation period: 20 - 23 days | Fledging age: ca. 49 days |
The breeding season depends significantly on geographical latitude. In the tropical north Australian White Ibises breed Feb - May. Given the right conditions, Australian White Ibises can breed any time of the year. They breed in tightly packed colonies, together with other aquatic birds.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Sticks, lined with leaves | Height above ground: 0 - 20 m |
Australian White Ibises can nest in trees or just above water level, e.g. on lignum. They often nest in loose colonies, together with other aquatic species.
Australian White Ibises are the number 1 cause of bird strikes around airports, which is the reason why breeding colonies as shown below are often destroyed or at least reduced if found near major airports.
Close-up view of an Australian White Ibis on its nest
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, July 2017]
Small Australian White Ibis colony in a near-coastal habitat
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Carrara, Gold Coast, QLD, November 2014]
Australian White Ibises on a communal nest platform shared by
two pairs; the pair on the left has two small chicks rather
late in the season; one of the adults is providing shade for
the chicks
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2022]
Australian White Ibis nests with mature chicks in them
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, December 2017]
After seeing Australian White Ibises nesting in trees for many years,
here the first nest in reeds - this indicates that the birds expect
the lake not to dry up during the nesting season
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2012]
Close-up look at an Australian White Ibis nest
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2017]
Australian White Ibis carrying nesting material
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2012]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 65 x 45 mm | Colour: Creamy | Shape: Elliptical |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive | Elementary unit: Flock |
It comes as a bit of a surprise that, although spending much of their
life in water, aquatic bird species such as Australian White Ibises
do need to bathe regularly to keep their
plumage clean
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, August 2020]
Small group of Australian White Ibises seen in a
riverine
mudflat
[Brewarrina, NSW, September 2012]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Small animals, frogs, leftovers | Dependents: As adults | Water intake: ? |
Ibises feed on small animals that they pull out of mud or soft soil. Australian White Ibises are also known to scavenge; they are often seen around rubbish tips.
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Additional information |
There is a separate page describing a dependent Australian White Ibis being fed.
Australian White Ibis gobbling up what looks like a cicada (photo
courtesy of R. Druce)
[Goondiwindi, QLD, February 2013]
Immature Australian White Ibis foraging through a
mangrove
mudflat
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, February 2012]
Part of a large flock of Australian White Ibises scavenging at the
local rubbish tip
[Narrabri, NSW, February 2012]
Sometimes Australian White Ibises can be seen foraging on
grassland near
water, such as e.g. freshwater
lakes, in a manner that is more typical of Straw-necked Ibises
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, February 2013]
Australian White Ibis with an enormously full crop
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2016]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
auwibis_20201209.m4a | (NW NSW) | Contact calls(?) (Q&A) | © MD | |
auwibis_20180516_2.m4a | (NW NSW) | Warning calls(?) (Q&A) | © MD | |
auwibis_20220701.m4a | (NW NSW) | Warning call | © MD | |
auwibis_20161104.mp3 | (NW NSW) | Warning calls (in-flight; spotted observer) | © MD | |
auwibis_20180516_4.m4a | (NW NSW) | Upset/departure | © MD | |
auwibis_pb_20200807.m4a | (Top End, NT) | Upset/departure | © PB | |
auwibis_20180516.m4a | (NW NSW) | Departure | © MD | |
auwibis_20201209_2.m4a | (NW NSW) | Departure | © MD | |
auwibis_20171124.m4a | (NW NSW) | Upset | © MD | |
auwibis_20171124_2.m4a | (NW NSW) | Upset/squabbling | © MD | |
auwibis_20171124_4.m4a | (NW NSW) | ? | © MD | |
auwibis_20150327.m4a | (NE NSW) | ? (in-flight) | © MD |
We have also been able to record the wing beats of Australian White Ibises.
auwibis_20210428_2.m4a | (NW NSW) | Rising from the ground into a tree | © MD | |
auwibis_20210428.m4a | (NW NSW) | Rising from the ground into a tree + warning calls | © MD |
More Australian White Ibis sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.