Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Lake Cochise, Willcox, Cochise County

This Glossy Ibis was discovered by Dave Stejskal and Mark Stevenson and photographed by Laurens Halsey on 12 June 2012 among a flock of White-faced Ibis and a potential hybrid.  It was also photographed on 13 June 2012 by Arlene Ripley

Casual to rare, but apparently increasing visitor to Arizona. Likely more regular than the few records suggest due to difficulty in picking them out of the more widespread and abundant White-faced Ibis flocks and the difficulty of separating them from hybrids. 

No white feathers on head.  Pale blue lines of facial skin from in front of eye to base of upper mandible and from below eye to bottom of the base of lower mandible, dark in between. Rest of facial skin dark gray.  Eye dark, not red. In the field, the tarus appeared gray contrasting with the red meta-taral joint, White-face Ibis legs all reddish.

13 June 2012, photo by Arlene Ripley

12 June 2012, photo by Laurens Halsey

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