5

Australian White Ibis

(Threskiornis molucca)
: "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)

Description

Classification

Distribution

Sightings

Photos

Breeding

Nest

Eggs

Behaviour

Food

Call/s

Physical description

Click here for physical description of this species Click here for a physical description

Australian White Ibises are medium-sized aquatic birds with an all-white plumage. Only the bald head, with the very long, curved bill, and back of the neck are black (except for a few pink skin patches when breeding). The legs and feet are pinkish-grey. Australian White Ibises have black filamentary inner secondary plumes that show clearly on their rumps that look like black tail feathers. The tips of the underwing primaries are black; the underwings show a long, narrow red bar of naked skin that turns bright-pink when breeding. The uppertail is slightly yellowish. Juveniles have a dusky, feathered head and upper neck and a shorter bill than adults.

Australian White Ibises often look dirty, with a brownish tint to their plumage.

Taxonomy, classification

See Australian White Ibis at Wikipedia .
Click here for classification information

Australian White Ibises have now been given species status and are no longer considered to be a race of the African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopica).

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Australian White Ibis is available HERE .

Australian White Ibises populate parts of Australia, southern New Guinea, eastern Indonesia and the Solomon Islands.

Australian White Ibises are found over large parts of the Australian continent, with the exception of the most arid parts of the interior of the continent, i.e. the eastern two thirds of WA, the western half of SA and the southern half of the NT. In other parts of the semi-arid interior and the western half of WA they are present only when there is sufficient surface water, normally after major rainfall events. They can also be found along the east coast of Tasmania.

Australian Ibises are found in various types of freshwater wetlands, including flooded grassland and also in wetlands of brackish water and in intertidal wetlands and mudflats. They also scavenge and can thus be found around rubbish tips and in urban parks.

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

A significant number of Australian White Ibises are permanent residents in the Narrabri region, in wet, moist or muddy areas (especially at the local rubbish tip).

After significant rainfall in the area in September 2008, hundreds of Australian White Ibises were camped around the rubbish tip (and stayed there). Only a few Straw-necked Ibises joined them there.On the other hand, Straw-necked Ibises are seen regularly exploring the Narrabri area, whereas Australian White Ibises tend to stay near the tip and Narrabri Lake (between which they commute). There is a significant colony of Australian White Ibises that breed in trees on a small island in Narrabri Lake.

So far, the farthest West we have seen Austrlaian White Ibises in inland NSW is Pilliga, NSW, in July 2016.

Australian White Ibises were also sighted on a trip to the East of the Great Dividing Range, in the area from Armidale to Dorrigo. Seen in various locations along the NSW coast, from the Clarence River downs, via Hat Head and the Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, up to Iluka, northern NSW. Also spotted on the Gold Coast, QLD, by J. Ross-Taylor, e.g. in June 2014. Other contributors report their presence farther North along the Australian East coast.

In August 2014 we found good numbers of Australian White Ibises in various locations in and around Darwin, NT.

C. Pears reports finding Australian White Ibises regularly in Quindalup, WA, since about 2010. Before that time they were rarely seen there.

J. Greaves reports spotting Australian White Ibises regularly in WA, e.g. in Albany and in and around Perth. They were also seen on Kangaroo Island, SA, in March 2016.

J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports finding an Australian White Ibis at the Esplanade, Cairns, QLD, in August 2020.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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]

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

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]

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.

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]

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 .

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