#ibises

Simplified bird #169 - Northern bald ibis

Glossy Ibis - Íbis-preto (Plegadis falcinellus)

Vila Franca de Xira/Portugal (25/03/2026)

White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi

Photo: Bernard Dupont

"All-dark wading bird with a curved bill and short legs, giving it a rather dumpy look. Dark green overall with shimmering emerald and bronzy iridescence that can be stunning in good light. Prefers more forested swamps or sheltered river edges. Usually seen singly or in pairs."

All birds are Silly Guys. My husband really loves Ibises (Bin Chickens) so I wanted to draw some of them for him 🥰

It may not look pretty, but the northern bald ibis' hairdo really does the trick when it comes to beating the heat! Their black plumage absorbs a large amount of light and heat, so bald ibises release much of that heat back into the air through the dense capillaries on the top of their head, which also contributes to their bright red color.

today we have the Australian ibis! it's a large wading bird which lives in much of Australia, as well as parts of New Guinea and Indonesia. by Aussie locals, it's been dubbed the "Bin Chicken," as it's intelligent enough to forage in urban areas! in fact, while it was formerly a resident of wetlands and salt marshes, like any other wading bird, it has taken very readily to human settlements. it's taken on a certain flavor of boldness common among animals who have figured out the average human will not kill and eat them.

the ibis's signature long, down-curved bill is an essential tool to all ibises; however, while non-human-associated ibises use them to probe about in water and mud, urban-dwelling populations of the Bin Chicken use it to pull yummy goodies out of flowerbeds, patches of crabgrass, and human trash. rural populations do exist, but those who more readily adapted to human-dominated areas are, predictably, better recorded by the aforementioned humans. they're also most often found in groups - as i've stated before, sociality is often a very significant marker of intelligence and adaptability.

these fellows' bald heads are, by my figuring, not intended to keep off filth, as is the case with vultures, but likely to shed heat. their dark hue may seem counterproductive, but i reckon the high amount of melanin in their skin is intended to protect them from radiation burns. keeping in the shade or keeping their heads damp - not too difficult for a wading bird (lucky humans don't need to worry about that, secreting our own moisture and all!) - likely cancel out the heat-absorptive properties of the dark coloration. it also might be a signal to other birds, whether of same-species kinship or of maturity.

in contrast, the skin under their wings is often bare, varying by individual - that skin needs no sun protection, and as such, lacks their heads' melanin. in fact, it's vivid red, likely owing that to a high density of blood vessels. the density makes the bare patches much more effective heat-shedders, as hot blood from deep within the body can be directly exposed to the air!

28 July 2026