A practical guide to bird watching in Sonoma County, California
(Unless otherwise indicated, all phone numbers are in the 707 area code)
Rare in Sonoma County. Mostly seen sporadically during spring or autumn migration, but anecdotal evidence suggests White-faced Ibis is becoming more common in our area. A comparatively large number appeared in the winter of 2015-2016, notably at Shollenberger Park and Ellis Creek Water Treatment Facility. Usually in small flocks. If not seen flying in loose lines overhead, mostly encountered head down, rapidly but methodically probing for food with its long bill in marshes and flooded fields.
Dark with a warm brownish-purple to greenish sheen, but may appear nearly black in certain lights. Easily identified by silhouette--the long legs, plump body, and long, decurved bill are distinctive. Flies with neck stretched out. This is the only Ibis that appears in Sonoma County with any frequency. The very similar Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellis) is a bird of the Eastern United States. White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) is white with a pink bill and normally confined to the Southeastern United States. In breeding adults, head, neck, upper breast, and upper back are reddish. Legs also reddish, especially around the “knees.” Folded wings are dark but greenish. The colors can be quite subtle, hewer, in all plumages. From a distance, most birds will simply look dark. We nearly always see juveniles, which are a speckled dark grey where the breeding adult is reddish. Breeding adult has red eyes with reddish facial skin at the base of the bill outlined with white. Juveniles have dark eyes. All the birds shown on this page are juveniles. Non-breeding adults are drabber than breeding birds, similar to juveniles, but with the red eye.
Selected county sightings: Ellis Creek Water Treatment Facility (12/22/15-1/16/16, Andy LaCasse); Hudeman Slough (April 19, 2012, Gene Hunn); Hudeman Slough (February 5, 2012, Helen Kochenderfer); Laguna de Santa Rosa (January 25, 2012, Dan Nelson); Hudeman Wetlands (December 19, 2011, Ruth Rudesill); Bodega Farm Pond (October 23, 2011, Gene Hunn); Shollenberger Park (September 11, 2011, Bill Doyle); Bodega Farm Pond (September 24, 2009, Ken Wilson).
Further reading:
Bolander and Parmeter, Birds of Sonoma County California, rev. ed., 2000, p. 26
Brinkley, National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2007, p. 155
Dunn and Alderfer, eds., National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 5th ed., 2006, p. 116
Dunn and Alderfer, eds., National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 6th ed., 2011, p. 120
Ehrlich, Dobkin, and Wheye, The Birder's Handbook, paperback edition, 1988, p. 46
Dunne, Pete Dunne’s Essential Field Guide Companion, 2006, pp. 141-142
Fix and Bezener, Birds of Northern California, 2000, p. 67
Floyd, Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 2008, p. 112
Kaufman, Field Guide to Birds of North America, 2000, p. 150
Kaufman, Advanced Birding, 1990, pp. 39-42
Kaufman, Field Guide to Advanced Birding, 2011, pp. 82, 139
Lukas, Bay Area Birds: From Sonoma County to Monterey Bay, 2012, pp. 288-289
Parmeter and Wight, Birds of Sonoma County California, Update (2000-2010), 2012, p. 20
Peterson, Birds of Eastern and Central North America, 5th ed., 2002, p. 52
Peterson, Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, 4th ed., 2010, p. 90
Peterson, Western Birds, 3rd ed., 1990, p. 114
Sibley, Field Guide to Birds of Western North America,1st ed., 2003, p. 61
Stokes, Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 1st ed., 2010, p. 137
Vuilleumier, American Museum of Natural History, Birds of North America: Western Region, 2011, p. 88
Voice: Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds--White-faced Ibis
© Colin Talcroft, 2009-2016
Unless noted, all photos by the author. If you would like to use one of my images, please ask for permission for non-commercial use with proper credit or commercial use with proper compensation.
White-faced Ibis (juveniles), Ellis Creek Water Treatment Facility, January 16, 2016
White-faced Ibis (juvenile), Ellis Creek Water Treatment Facility, January 16, 2016
White-faced Ibis
Plegadis chihi
1995-2016 Sonoma County data. Graph provided by eBird (www.ebird.org), generated January 17, 2016
EBird reported occurrence in Sonoma County
White-faced Ibis, Ellis Creek Water Treatment Facility, Petaluma, January 24, 2016