White Ibis at Pine Creek Gamebird Habitat Area

                by Ed Hopkins, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

     An adult White Ibis (WHIB) was observed at the Pine Creek Gamebird Habitat Area (GHA) on
1 July 2007 between 1:00 and 2:45 PM.  The refuge is located in eastern Benton County, Indiana, USA,
about eight miles east of Fowler on CR200N about a half mile east of CR850E.  The exact position was
40.6430N 87.1504W.

     The bird was first seen foraging along the north edge of the pond in the Feldt Marsh unit behind a
small island and near the dam.  The bird was seen foraging, preening and sleeping during my observation. 
As can be seen in the photo in Fig.1, the plumage of the adult WHIB was all white except for the exposed
primary tips which were black.  The legs, the face and the base of the bill were a coral pink.  The distal
half of the bill was black.  It was not in full breeding color.

    Fig. 1 - An adult White Ibis was digiscoped at the Pine Creek GHA on 1 July 2007.

     Is this another bird fleeing the drought in Florida?