Australian White Ibis

Overview

The Australian white ibis, or Threskiornis molucca, is a wading bird native to Australia that is widespread across the country. Known colloquially as the bin chicken or tip turkey, it has established increasing numbers in urban areas on the east coast and south-western Australia.

Identification

• Plumage: Predominantly white body, which may become brown-stained, with a bald black head and neck in adults.
• Bill: Long, downcurved black bill measuring over 16.7 cm in males and shorter in females and juveniles.
• Size: A fairly large ibis, measuring 65–75 cm in length, with males weighing 1.7–2.5 kg and females 1.4–1.9 kg.
• Sound: The call is described as a long croak.

Habitat

This species is widespread in eastern, northern, and south-western Australia, occurring in marshy wetlands near open grasslands. It has also become common in urban environments, including city parks and rubbish dumps in major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, though it is absent from Tasmania.

Diet

The Australian white ibis forages for terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, with crayfish and mussels being its most favoured foods, which it digs for using its long bill. It also consumes human scraps and has been observed eating cane toads after flicking them to secrete toxins and washing them in water.

Did you know?

To consume toxic cane toads, the ibis employs a learned behaviour where it flicks the toad to make it secrete its defensive toxin, then washes the toad in a nearby water source to remove the awful taste. This behaviour has been observed in multiple different regions.