The Zoochat Photographic Guide To The Pelecaniformes

Mesembrinibis

Green Ibis (Mesembrinis cayennensis)

This ibis is easily identified by its all green plumage ranging from olive on the main body to the bright iridescent green feathers that line the back of the head. Its legs and bill even have a greenish hue to them. It ranges in both Central America as well as the northern countries in South America and is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Monotypic

Photo of an adult in Costa Rica by @Newzooboy

 

Phimosus

Bare-Faced Ibis (Phimosus infuscatus)

This all black ibis, also known as the Whispering Ibis can be identified by its smaller size, red bill, face and legs. Its primary habitat is swampy regions and ranges from northern to central South America and is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Monotypic

Photo of an adult in Colombia by @toto98



Photo of a flock in the Pantanal flying in to roost for the night by @devilfish

 

Eudocimus

American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)

This species of ibis has a white feathered body with red face, bill, and legs. Sometime the bill of adult birds will turn partly black. Endemic to the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Mexico, Central America, and into northern South America, it can often be found in wetlands and bodies of land near water. This is a common species throughout its range and it is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Monotypic

Photo of a non breeding adult at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park by @jayjds2



Photo of a breeding adult at Honolulu Zoo by @Hix

 

Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber)

This is the world’s most colorful ibis. Adults are the same size as the American White Ibis, but have bright scarlet colored feathers as well as red skin on the legs, face and bill. In the breeding season the bill turns black. This species is often shown in many zoos and bird parks and is also Trinidad’s national bird. Caroni Swamp in Trinidad is a hotspot for birders and nature lovers to view the large flocks that will fly in to the mangroves to roost at sunset. This common species which ranges along the northern coastline of South America is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Monotypic

Photo of a juvenile at Rotterdam Zoo by @vogelcommando



Photo of an adult showing red bill at Artis Royal Zoo by @vogelcommando



Photo of an adult showing black bill at the Cincinnati Zoo by @soulifly623



Photo of an adult and chick in the nest at Pairi Daiza by @robreintjes



Closeup view of a head of a specimen at the Manchester Museum by @Jordan-Jaguar97



Photo of a diorama with specimens at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science by @UngulateNerd92

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Plegadis

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

This species is the most widespread of the world’s ibises having populations on each continent except the Polar Regions in marshy and wetland habitats. This ibis is rich brown with a glossy sheen of green and purple on the wings when seen in bright sunlight. It has a thin border of white skin separating the face from the bill and dark eyes. This species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Monotypic

Photo of a juvenile in Keoladeo National Park by @Chlidonias



Photo of an adult at Caversham Wildlife Park by @Hix



Frontal view of an adult at GaiaZOO Kerkrade by @KevinB

 

White-Faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)

Appearing much like its relative the Glossy Ibis, this species is slightly smaller with red instead of dark eyes as well as a more reddish colored body. It also has more pronounced white markings on its face lining the bill. It ranges in the U.S. west of the Mississippi River, but largely resides in the southern half of South America as a year-round resident and is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Monotypic

Photo of a juvenile at BestZoo by @Vision



Photo of an adult at BestZoo by @KevinB

 

Puna Ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi)

Of the Plegadis ibises this species ranges the farthest south and in the highest elevations. It lives in Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Peru in the highlands of the Andes mountains. It can be distinguished by its purple hued glossy plumage along with its red eyes. In the breeding season the neck and head plumage becomes a rich chestnut color. The Uru people of Bolivia and Peru have domesticated this species and use it for both meat and eggs. This species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Monotypic

Photo of a juvenile at Dudley Zoological Gardens by @Parrotsandrew



Photo of an adult at Gaia ZOOKerkrade by @vogelcommando

 

Lophotibis

Madagascar Crested Ibis (Lophotibis cristata)

This smaller, unique looking ibis is mainly brown in color, but has white wings along with a dark colored neck and bright iridescent blue feathers going down the nape. Its legs and facial skin are red along with a bare bone colored bill. It ranges in forests and wooded habitats in Madagascar up to elevations of 2,000 meters and is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to hunting and habitat loss.

There are two subspecies. They are L.c.cristata and L.c.urschi. L.c.cristata can be identified by its green and white colored crest. L.c.urschi has a richer brown colored body along with a throat, neck and crest that’s colored green mixed with orange-yellow with barely any trace of white.

Photo of an adult at Weltvogelpark Walsrode by @ronnienl



Closeup of an individual at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park by @Zoological Point

 

The animals in captivity are all urschii. A picture of the nominate subspecies can be found here:

Madagascar crested ibis - ZooChat

 

Nitpicking aside, it still means that the pictures now only display urschii, even when a picture of cristata is also present in the gallery.

 

The Ardeidae, also known as the herons is a subfamily of birds in the order Pelecaniformes. These peculiar birds with their long sharp bills are medium-large sized waders and are spread throughout both the Old & New World. There are 64 recognized species and they live in a variety of different locations and habitats ranging from hot humid tropical jungles to grasslands and even mountain river systems.

Subfamily Tigriornthinae

Cochlearius

• Boat-Billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius)

Trigrisoma

• Bare-Throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum)
• Fasciated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma fasciatum)
• Rufescent Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma leneatum)

Tigriornis

• White-Crested Tiger Heron (Tigriornis leucolopha)

Zonerodius

• Forest Bittern (Zonerodius heliosylus)

Subfamily Botaurinae

Zebrilus

• Zigzag Heron (Zebrilus undulatus)

Ixobrychus

• Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)
• Black-Backed Bittern (Ixobrychus dubius)
• Cinnamon Bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus)
• Stripe-Backed Bittern (Ixobrychus involucris)
• Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)
• Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis)
• Von Schrenck’s Bittern (Ixobrychus eurhythmus)
• Dwarf Bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii)
• Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis)

Subfamily Ardeinae

Nycticorax

• Black-Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
• Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)

Nyctanassa

• Yellow-Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)

Gorsachius

• White-Backed Night Heron (Gorsachius leuconotus)
• White-Eared Night Heron (Gorsachius magnificus)
• Japanese Night Heron (Gorsachius goisagi)
• Malayan Night Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus)

Butorides

• Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
• Striated Heron (Butorides striatus)
• Lava Heron (Butorides sundevalli)

Agamia

• Agami Heron (Agamia agami)

Pilherodius

• Capped Heron (Pilherodius pileatus)

Ardeola

• Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
• Malagasy Pond Heron (Ardeola idae)
• Rufous-Bellied Heron (Ardeola rufiventris)
• Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus)
• Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii)
• Javan Pond Heron (Ardeola speciosa)

Bubulcus

• Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
• Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus)

Ardea

• Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
• Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi)
• Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
• Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath)
• White-Bellied Heron (Ardea insignis)
• Great-Billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana)
• Black-Headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)
• Humblot’s Heron (Ardea humbloti)
• White-Necked Heron (Ardea pacifica)
• Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
• Great Egret (Ardea alba)
• Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)
• Pied Heron (Ardea picata)

Syrigma

• Whistling Heron (Syrigma sibilatrix)

Egretta

• Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
• Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
• Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)
• Slaty Egret (Egretta vinaceigula)
• Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)
• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)
• White-Faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
• Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
• Pacific Reef Heron (Egretta sacra)
• Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis)
• Dimorphic Egret (Egretta dimorpha)
• Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotes)

 

April Fools, I guess?

 

True! Trying to get a lot done in a short amount of time and forgot to make a final check. I did fix an earlier mistake but forgot about that. I wish the edit-time limits were disabled so you could go back in and fix mistakes. Can you fix it please since you're a moderator?

 

Thanks. Much appreciated! I think with all the guides that the site has been producing we have become the next best alternative to the now extinct Arkive.