Eudocimus albus albus
Status: Rare casual summer visitor central.
Documentation: Photograph: 5 Jul 1999 Kissinger Basin WPA, Clay Co.
Taxonomy: There are two subspecies, albus of the southeast United States and Caribbean, and newly named ramobustorum of northern South America; the latter was erected for South America populations formerly considered conspecific with E. ruber, Scarlet Ibis prior to the split of the latter (Gill and Donsker 2017).
Nebraska reports are presumed albus.
Summer: There are seven documented records:
17 May 2000 adult Lake Ogallala, Keith Co (Brown and Brown 2001; Jorgensen 2002)
3-17 Aug immature Kirkpatrick Basin North WMA, York Co (Jorgensen, eBird.org)
4-25 Jul 1999 immature Kissinger Basin WMA, Clay Co (Jorgensen 2001, 2004)
9 Aug 2001 immature Funk WPA, Phelps Co (Jorgensen 2003)
12-19 Aug 2001 immature Johnson WPA, Phelps Co (Jorgensen 2003)
17 Aug 2022 Gretna, Sarpy Co (private site) Mary Clausen, eBird.org, photo)
19 Aug 2022 Jefferson Co (Nancy Drilling, eBird.org).
The single first-year birds at Funk WPA 9 Aug 2001 and at Johnson WPA, Phelps Co, 12-19 Aug 2001 (Jeff Drahota, pers. comm., Jorgensen 2003) were possibly the same individual, as may have been the three 2022 birds.
Two additional reports are likely correct but lack extant documentation. One was observed 12-19 Jun 1916 at Inland Lagoon, Clay Co; the observer “was close enough to be sure” of the identification (Brooking, Notes), but no details were provided. This report was accepted by Jorgensen (2004). Another was filmed by Karl Menzel during its stay in Rock Co 1-19 Aug 1963; although Paul Johnsgard viewed the film and confirmed Menzel’s identification of a juvenile (Menzel 1964), the film cannot now be located (Bray et al 1986).
White Ibises reaching Nebraska are probably post-breeding dispersers from southern United States populations; stragglers have reached southern Canada.
Images
Abbreviations
WMA: Wildlife Management Area (State)
WPA: Waterfowl Production Area (Federal)
Literature Cited
Bray, T.E., B.K. Padelford, and W.R. Silcock. 1986. The birds of Nebraska: A critically evaluated list. Published by the authors, Bellevue, Nebraska, USA.
Brooking, A.M. Notes. Bird specimen records. Manuscript in NOU Archives, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Brown, C.R., and M.B. Brown. 2001. Birds of the Cedar Point Biological Station. Occasional Papers of the Cedar Point Biological Station, No. 1.
Gill, F., and D. Donsker (Eds). 2017. IOC World Bird List (v 7.3), accessed 30 January 2018.
Jorgensen, J.G. 2001. 1999 (Eleventh) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 69: 85-91.
Jorgensen, J.G. 2002. 2002 (sic; =2000). (12th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 70: 84-90.
Jorgensen, J.G. 2003. 2001 (13th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 71: 97-102.
Jorgensen, J.G. 2004. An overview of shorebird migration in the eastern Rainwater Basin, Nebraska. Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Occasional Paper No. 8. Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Menzel, K.E. 1964. White Ibis in Rock County. NBR 32: 12-14.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2022. White Ibis (Eudocimus albus albus). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 20 Dec 2022
