This distinctive wading bird is commonly found in the coastal marshes and wetlands of tropical North and Central America. Often found in large flocks, the White Ibis is easily identified by its white plumage and long curved red bill.

In North America, the White Ibis breeds coastally from Louisiana east along the Gulf Coast. They occur inland across Florida, and along the Atlantic coast as far north as the Carolinas. The non-breeding range extends further inland, north to Virginia, and west to eastern Texas. The White Ibis is known to wander, and has been recorded, albeit rarely, in states far out of range, sometimes in small flocks. The species is most common in Florida, where over 30,000 have been counted in a single breeding colony. The species also occurs throughout the Caribbean, on both coasts of Mexico and Central America, and as far south as Columbia and Venezuela.

 

A legend for the range map to the right can be found here.

White Ibis distribution is prone to rapid change in any given area. The species tends to be nomadic; large breeding colonies respond quickly to changes in habitat or food supply. Within Florida's Everglades, the historic heart of the birds' range, the population is far lower than historic levels. However, overall numbers are currently increasing throughout the range as the species expands northward along the Atlantic coast.

While currently protected, over-hunting of the species has historically been a concern. Today, the main threats to the White Ibis are human disturbance and habitat loss. Nesting adults are particularly sensitive to disturbance, and eggs and chicks left alone due to human intrusion are susceptible to predation. Since the species nests in large groups, nest disturbance, even by well-meaning researchers, can have devastating effects on a colony.

 

Habitat loss is currently the White Ibis's greatest threat. The preservation of the species' coastal marsh and wetland habitat is crucial. Nestlings require freshwater prey, so protecting freshwater habitats adjacent to nesting sites is also extremely important. The White Ibis's habit of frequently changing its colonial breeding sites is a particular conservation challenge. Protection of small pockets of habitat where colonies currently exist is only temporarily helpful. With the heavy loss of coastal wetlands in the southeastern United States, protection of all such remaining habitat area is crucial.

Remain aware of local, regional, and federal land management decisions, particularly those that affect our wetlands.

 

Contact your legislators in support of wise land management initiatives, such as wetland restoration along the Gulf Coast, and The North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

 

For actions you can take, including Audubon activities, please visit our resources page.

Audubon of Florida's Everglades Conservation Network is dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Florida's Everglades, one of America's most unique ecosystems. The Everglades hosts one of the largest concentrations of endangered and threatened species in the U.S., and is the heart of the White Ibis's traditional range.

 

America's Wetland, a campaign to save coastal Louisiana, maintains timely information regarding coastal land loss at its website. The marshland of coastal Louisiana is crucial habitat for many waterbird species, including the White Ibis.

 

Visit our resources page for more information about this species.

Bent, A. C. 1926. Life Histories of North American Marsh Birds. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 135.

 

Kaufman, Kenn. 1996. Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.

 

Kushlan, J. A. and K. L. Bildstein. 1992. White Ibis. In The Birds of North America, No. 9 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists' Union.