Ibisbill
Ibidorhyncha struthersii
The Ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii) is a rare ibisbill found in 8 countries, weighing about 294 g. The ibisbill is a bird related to the waders, but sufficiently distinctive to merit its own family Ibidorhynchidae.
About the Ibisbill
The ibisbill is a bird related to the waders, but sufficiently distinctive to merit its own family Ibidorhynchidae. It is grey with a white belly, red legs and long down-curved bill, and a black face and black breast band. It occurs on the shingle riverbanks of the high plateaux of central Asia and the Himalayas.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The ibisbill is 38–41 cm (15–16 in) long and is quite unmistakable in appearance. The adult is grey with a white belly, a crimson, long down-curved bill similar to that of the unrelated ibis, and a black face and black breast band. The sexes are similar, but young birds lack the black on the face and breast, and the bill is duller. The bill is 6.8–8.2 cm (2.7–3.2 in) long and is slightly longer in females. The legs are greyish purple in the breeding adults and dull sepia in juveniles or greenish in younger or non-breeding adults.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Tajikistan.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, October, November, December, with peak activity in February. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Ibisbill?
- The ibisbill is 38–41 cm (15–16 in) long and is quite unmistakable in appearance. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Ibisbill?
- The Ibisbill is a medium sized bird weighing about 294 g.
- Where can you see an Ibisbill?
- The Ibisbill occurs in 8 countries, including India, Bhutan, China, Nepal and Kyrgyzstan.
- Is the Ibisbill endangered?
- The Ibisbill is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Ibisbill for real
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