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

This Glossy Ibis was found by Dave Stejskal and photographed by Gary Rosenberg on 20 May 2020

Casual to rare, but apparently increasing visitor to Arizona, with still fewer than about 20 records for the state. 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.

The thin bluish lines on the face (both above and below the gray portion of the facial skin), lack of bare skin behind the eye, no hint of reddish to the eye (i.e. all dark), and gray facial skin lacking any red tones, all indicate a Glossy Ibis rather than a hybrid with White-faced Ibis.

20 May 2020, photo by Gary Rosenberg

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