A bird baring beautiful iridescent plumage on its upper parts glistening in good light.
Straw-necked Ibis
The Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) is characterized by its black wings and upperparts, which display a glossy blue-green sheen and iridescent purple-bronze feathers. The tail, in contrast, is white. Its underparts, including the undertail coverts, are white, while the underwings are black. The neck, from the nape to the upper back, and joining the upper breast, is white and adorned with straw-like feathers at the base and on the upper breast. These stiff feathers have a pale buff color. The head is entirely bare and black, with the chin also black, forming a pointed bib on the upper neck. The long bill curves downwards and is black, while the eyes are dark brown. The upper legs exhibit shades of pink to red, while the lower legs and webbed feet are blackish.
Both sexes share similar plumage, but the female is smaller and has a shorter bill.
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Additionally, she displays a dark breast-band.
Its range extends throughout Australia, with a higher abundance on the east coast. It is also found in Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, Indonesia, and New Guinea.
The Straw-necked Ibis is found in both wet and dry grasslands, as well as at the edges of freshwater marshes, cultivated areas, pastures, and shallow wetlands. It tends to avoid arid regions and saltwater wetlands such as coastal mudflats. The species can also be observed in urban parks and along roadsides.
The Straw-necked Ibis primarily feeds on aquatic invertebrates, insects, mollusks, and frogs. On land, it consumes lizards, small snakes, and small mammals such as mice. It also feeds on large insects like grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, caterpillars, beetles, and their larvae, and can follow insect swarms. Using its long, curved bill, the ibis probes soft mud in shallow water, as well as under plants and roots, in search of crustaceans, snails, and worms.
In terms of behavior, the Straw-necked Ibis feeds in shallow water, probing or capturing aquatic invertebrates from the surface. It also forages on the ground, targeting large insects that are considered pests by farmers. This behavior has earned it the nickname “Farmer’s Friend” due to its ability to control crop pests. The ibis spends a significant amount of time feeding and possesses large legs and webbed feet that aid in movement through marshy areas. It is highly nomadic, constantly searching for more suitable habitats. The bird is often seen perched on high bare branches, creating a distinctive silhouette in the Australian landscape. It is gregarious and breeds in large colonies.
During the breeding season, which occurs from August to December following heavy rains, Straw-necked Ibises gather in large colonies with other Ibis species, such as the Australian White Ibis. They construct nests in seasonally flooded areas that provide important food resources. The nests are built in low bushes or well-hidden in reed beds, and both adults participate in the construction process. The male usually collects nest materials while the female builds the nest, which may be lined with leaves. The nests consist of sticks, reeds, and rushes, forming a large trampled platform over water. Multiple nests can blend together, creating an extensive platform that is reused year after year. The female lays 2 to 5 dull white eggs, and incubation, performed by both parents, lasts approximately 24 to 25 days. During incubation shifts, the birds perform deep bows to each other and also bow to their young before feeding them. The young are fed by both adults and fledge around 35 days after hatching. They continue to be fed for an additional two weeks after leaving the nest, and the species may produce two consecutive broods.
During the flight, the Straw-necked Ibis extends its neck and head and often glides through the air with its large wings slightly higher than body level. It tends to fly in V-formation in large flocks, soaring at great heights.While the Straw-necked Ibis is common and widespread in suitable habitats, it faces threats from the destruction of freshwater breeding habitats and increasing salinity. However, it may have benefited from irrigation in dry areas.
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