Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Vicksburg, La Paz County

This Glossy Ibis was found by Kav McGeough and Caleb Strand, and photographed by Caleb Strand on 26 September 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. Most of the Arizona records involve spring or summer adults, so picking one out this time of year is more of a challenge.

26 September 2020, photo by Caleb Strand