Threskiornithidae – Ibises, Spoonbills | Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) by Lee at Circle B

the owl, and the ibis and the swan, (Deuteronomy 14:16 Darby)

The screech owl, and the cormorant, and the ibis. (Leviticus 11:17 DRB)

CLASS – AVES, Order – PELECANIFORMES, Family – Threskiornithidae – Ibises, Spoonbills

*
Latest I.O.C. Version

Species (36)

African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
Malagasy Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis bernieri)
Reunion Ibis (Threskiornis solitarius)
Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)
Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca)
Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis)
Red-naped Ibis (Pseudibis papillosa)
White-shouldered Ibis (Pseudibis davisoni)
Giant Ibis (Pseudibis gigantea)
Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita)
Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus)
Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon)
Olive Ibis (Bostrychia olivacea)
Sao Tome Ibis (Bostrychia bocagei)
Spot-breasted Ibis (Bostrychia rara)
Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)
Wattled Ibis (Bostrychia carunculata)
Plumbeous Ibis (Theristicus caerulescens)
Buff-necked Ibis (Theristicus caudatus)
Black-faced Ibis (Theristicus melanopis)
Andean Ibis (Theristicus branickii)
Sharp-tailed Ibis (Cercibis oxycerca)
Green Ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis)
Bare-faced Ibis (Phimosus infuscatus)
American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)
Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)
Puna Ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi)
Madagascan Ibis (Lophotibis cristata)
Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor)
African Spoonbill (Platalea alba)
Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)
Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes)
Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)

*
Roseate Spoonbills feeding at a local lake on a overcast day. Watch how they swing those spoon bills back and forth. (by Lee)

On the photos or slides, a “by” indicates one of the photographers or videographers, who have given their permission, with links on our sidebar. Please visit their site to see many more fantastic shots, a “©©” copyright symbol indicates a photo from Creative Commons and ©WikiC is a Creative Commons photo from Wikipedia.

Photographers or Videographers used on this page from our sidebar, Photography, are:
Africaddict
Dan’s Pix (Dan)
Dario Sanches
Dave’s BirdingPix
Ian Montgomery’s Birdway
Nikhil Devasar’s Gallery
Ray’s Wildlife Photography
Robert Scanlon’s Gallery
William Kwong’s Galleries

Back to Family Page – CLICK HERE

Articles Mentioning Birds From This Family:

Other Websites that have photos of this Family:

Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae) – OBI
Threskiornithidae – Ibises & spoonbills – OBI
Threskiornithidae – Wikipedia
Family : Threskiornithidae – Le quide ornitho

*
The family Threskiornithidae includes 34 species of large wading birds. The family has been traditionally classified into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills, however recent genetic studies are casting doubt on the arrangement, and revealing the spoonbills to be nested within the old world ibises, and the new world ibises as an early offshoot.

Members of the family have long, broad wings with 11 primary feathers and about 20 secondaries. They are strong fliers and, rather surprisingly, given their size and weight, very capable soarers. The body tends to be elongated, the neck more so, with rather long legs. The bill is also long, decurved in the case of the ibises, straight and distinctively flattened in the spoonbills. They are large birds, but mid-sized by the standards of their order, ranging from the Dwarf Olive Ibis (Bostrychia bocagei), at 45 cm (18 in) and 450 g (1 lb), to the Giant Ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea), at 100 cm (40 in) and 4.2 kg (9.2 lb).

They are distributed almost worldwide, being found near almost any area of standing or slow-flowing fresh or brackish water. Ibises are also found in drier areas, including landfills. The Llanos are notable in that these wetland plains support seven species of ibis in the one region.

All ibises are diurnal; spending the day feeding on a wide range of invertebrates and small vertebrates: ibises by probing in soft earth or mud, spoonbills by swinging the bill from side to side in shallow water. At night, they roost in trees near water. They are gregarious, feeding, roosting, and flying together, often in formation. (Wikipedia with editing)

Some of the Family – Photos are Alphabetical down the columns: