Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Cibola NWR, in alflafa, La Paz County

This Glossy Ibis was discovered and photographed by Chris McCreedy on 20 April 2013.

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. 

Chris writes:

"Stood out from surrounding White-faced Ibis immediately by blue edging to facial skin and dark iris, legs not reddish, iris not reddish. Digiscoped with an iphone at around 50 m. Photo shows dark iris and blue skin fairly well, I've seen other reports in which observers noted that the camera did not pick up the bright blue that was seen in the field, I sort of felt this as well, it was really obvious. No skin behind eye/no sign of hybridization; pic shows a glimmer behind eye but again I didn't really see this in the field."

20 April 2013, photo by chris Mccreedy

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