White Ibis flying over Avery Island's Bird City.

April 2013 is the first time we have seen a White-faced Ibis on Avery Island. They range from Mississippi west, and prefer freshwater wetlands. They also breed in salt marshes, and in Louisiana and Texas can be year-found residents. They like to forage near Great Egrets or other large herons, taking advantage of early warnings of predators from these larger birds with wider fields of vision. Because their plumage is less showy than other birds, they were not threatened by ove-rhunting the way the egrets, herons, and spoonbills were.