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Manatee County

Audubon Society

White Ibis

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Name

White Ibis

Scientific Name

(Eudocimus albus)

Why they are special:
  • A graceful wading bird with a long, downcurved bill and striking white plumage.

  • One of Florida’s most familiar waterbirds, often seen foraging in groups.

  • At Felts, their presence adds life and movement to the wetlands and pastures.
Size and color:
  • A medium-sized wader, about 22–27 inches long with a wingspan of 35–41 inches.

  • Adults: bright white plumage with black wingtips visible in flight, pinkish-red bill, legs, and face.

  • Juveniles: brown overall with mottled white underparts, transitioning to white as they mature.
Seasonality in Florida:
  • Year-round resident in Florida.

  • Common at Felts and often seen in flocks moving between feeding and roosting sites.
Habitat:
  • Found in wetlands, marshes, ponds, pastures, and coastal estuaries.

  • At Felts, they forage in shallow wetlands and grassy fields.
Diet:
  • Feed primarily on invertebrates such as crayfish, insects, and small crustaceans, probing in soft mud with their long bill.

  • Occasionally eat small fish and frogs.
Behavior:
  • Highly social, often moving and feeding in flocks.

  • Forage by sweeping their long bill side to side in shallow water or damp soil.

  • Known to roost communally in large numbers.
Conservation notes:
  • Populations are strong and stable in Florida, though dependent on healthy wetlands for foraging.

  • Protected as a native species and a key part of wetland ecosystems.
Best time to see:
  • Year-round, often in flocks moving through the preserve’s open wetlands and pastures.
Fun Fact:
  • White Ibis are considered a symbol of courage in Florida folklore—the last birds to leave before a hurricane and the first to return after the storm.
MANATEE COUNTY WEATHER

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