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Identifying environmental variables that affect the distribution of pest and/or nuisance species promotes effective management strategies by improving urban planning and the targeted application of direct interventions like population control. Australian white ibis Threskiornis moluccus are considered a nuisance species throughout Australia, having increased significantly in abundance in coastal urban landscapes following declines in their native inland habitats over the past three decades. Few management interventions thus far have successfully reduced conflicts between ibis and humans, necessitating a better understanding of conditions driving ibis distribution and abundance. We surveyed 26 ibis colonies throughout the Moreton Bay region in central eastern Australia and quantified the effects of a range of spatial (e.g. connectivity with waste management facilities, urban land and wetlands) and habitat (e.g. nesting tree species, density and size) variables on ibis and nest abundance. Ibis and their nests were most abundant at sites within 10 km of waste management facilities, and < 60 m from residential or industrial estates. Ibis were also more abundant at sites with tree canopy height < 10 m and lower tree species richness. Nests were most abundant on water bound islands with tree density > 0.5 trees/m2. Urbanisation had contrasting effects, with nest numbers increasing with higher connectivity (i.e. closer proximity) to urban land, while ibis numbers decreased (relative to waste management facilities). Multifaceted approaches are required for controlling ibis populations, including restricting access to anthropogenic food resources, managing the condition of remnant habitats, and considering population control at sites with high connectivity to foraging grounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous contaminant in wetlands that can cause immunosuppression in birds, which may increase susceptibility to colonization with Salmonella spp. Previously, we found that White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), a recently urbanized wading bird, shed Salmonella spp. at a higher prevalence when captured at urban sites, compared with natural sites. In this study, we sought to determine if Hg burdens in ibis are related to Salmonella status or degree of urbanization or both. We analyzed feathers from 94 ibis in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, along an urbanization gradient (0-68% urbanization) and from individuals with confirmed Salmonella spp. status (shedding or not shedding). We detected Hg in all ibis feathers (0.22-8.47 mg/kg; mean = 1.96 mg/kg; SD = 1.94). The Hg concentration was not significantly correlated to Salmonella spp. shedding status (Wilcoxon rank sum test, W = 1170; P = 0.596) but was negatively associated with capture site urbanization level (R² = 0.327; P = 0.026). Our findings may suggest that the immunosuppressive effects of Hg do not affect Salmonella shedding in the ibis or that Hg burdens were too low to affect Salmonella shedding status. Further, ibis that were captured in high urbanization sites appeared to have a lower risk of Hg exposure than ibis that were captured within low urbanization sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-four American white ibis (Eudocimus albus) nestlings were collected in Florida (USA) on 17 April 2017 to establish a captive flock. On 7 May 2017, three birds died suddenly, following severe lethargy, hemorrhaging from the mouth and nares, anorexia, and production of bright-green colored feces. An additional ibis with delayed growth and pathological fractures was euthanized 18 May 2017. Severe ventriculitis associated with Macrorhabdus ornithogaster was noted in all four birds, bacterial sepsis was confirmed in one bird by culture and histologic examination, and bacterial endotoxemia was suspected in two birds based on gross and histologic examination, but no bacteria were isolated from these birds. Birds also had vitamin E liver levels consistent with coagulopathy previously described in pelicans. We sampled feces from 91 adult, free-living, healthy ibis in Florida in July 2017 and found 71% were shedding organisms with morphologic characteristics consistent with Macrorhabdus sp. Molecular characterization of the ibis-origin M. ornithogaster showed it was phylogenetically related to numerous M. ornithogaster sequences. It is unknown if M. ornithogaster infection resulted in clinical disease as a result of dietary or stress-related dysbiosis, or other factors. Macrorhabdus-associated disease has not previously been confirmed in wading birds. We discuss potential associations of gastric M. ornithogaster infection with morbidity and mortality in these cases and highlight the need for additional studies on this pathogen in free-living birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) is a highly nomadic, colonial nesting waterbird inhabiting coastal locations throughout Central America, the Caribbean, and southeastern United States. Over the past decade, this species has become a common late-summer and fall migrant to coastal Maryland. In more recent years, the abundance of White Ibis in Maryland has increased noticeably, and spring migrants have become commonplace as their colonies continue to thrive south of the state. While breeding in Maryland has been speculated, any possible nesting has gone undetected for some time. In June of 2020, I joined a skilled group of Maryland birders on a trip to the southern Chesapeake Bay with the goal of surveying the great diversity and abundance of breeding waterbirds that inhabit its islands. Here I present our most notable finding, the discovery of Maryland's first White Ibis nest on Swan Island in Somerset County. Our surveys of the southern Chesapeake Bay highlight the importance of its habitats for the breeding success of waterbirds in Maryland, as well as the potential for such remote sites to hold unexpected or undocumented species breeding within the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Nile virus (WNV) is pathogenic in a wide range of avian hosts and is endemic in much of North America. This virus is responsible for population declines of some Passeriformes. We describe a WNV-associated mortality event in American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) nestlings. This is a species, inherent to the Everglades ecosystem, which has recently begun nesting in urban areas. An urban colony in south Florida was monitored from March–July in 2020 as part of an ongoing study. Nestling carcasses were collected opportunistically and sent to the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia within 24 h for diagnosis. Three ibis nestling deaths were confirmed to be caused by WNV infection based on histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and reverse transcription PCR. Serial plasma samples collected weekly from 36 healthy chicks of the same urban rookery were tested for WNV-neutralizing antibodies via plaque reduction neutralization test; four chicks were seropositive. Antibody titers in three seropositive chicks from which serial samples were collected waned over time, suggesting maternal antibody transfer. Ibis mortalities were consistent with a spike of WNV activity in this region of Florida. West Nile virus infection may be an important seasonal cause of mortality for wading bird nestlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widespread degradation across Australia's inland wetland network has contributed to severe declines for many waterbird species. In contrast, breeding colonies of the Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) have increased in urbanised areas along the coast, but the level of dispersal and gene flow between inland and coastal areas remain unknown. This study uses single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to ascertain the variables influencing genetic connectivity among several inland and urban colonies of white ibis across south-eastern Australia between 2015 and 2018. The contemporary effective population size was estimated, and this value was used in simulations to evaluate the impact of various management scenarios on future genetic diversity. We found no significant differences in allele frequencies between localities, or robust evidence of site fidelity, therefore suggesting widespread dispersal and gene flow between inland and urban colonies. Furthermore, effective sizes were large enough to maintain genetic diversity into the future under various realistic management scenarios. However, the lack of genetic partitioning found suggests that urban management of the ibis should not be undertaken in isolation of the conservation requirements of inland colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), a nomadic wading bird, has increased its exploitation of urban habitats in South Florida, United States, and has recently established several urban breeding colonies. Certain characteristics of ibis ecology could position them in the natural cycle of the avian influenza virus (AIV). In fact, experimentally infected ibises were shown to be competent hosts for multiple AIV subtypes, and seroconversion to AIV has been documented in adult ibises in natural populations. However, the mechanisms of transmission and the timing of infection are unclear as we have yet to isolate AIV from a free-living ibis. To investigate the age-specific AIV dynamics of ibis, we captured nestlings (n = 115) weekly for 1–4 weeks from urban and natural settings in 2020 and 2021. We collected choanal/cloacal swabs for rRT-PCR and virus isolation, and plasma to screen for maternal AIV antibodies. AIV was not detected in any individual by virus isolation; however, maternal antibodies to AIV were detected in 95% of nestlings, with varying rates of catabolism. These results confirm that nestlings are afforded maternal antibodies from adults at rates reflective of higher adult seroprevalence than previously documented and that nestlings in breeding colonies may have some degree of protection and are unlikely to become infected with AIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food provisioning can change wildlife pathogen dynamics by altering host susceptibility via nutrition and/or through shifts in foraging behavior and space use. We used the American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), a wading bird increasingly observed in urban parks, as a model to study synergistic relationships between food provisioning and infection risk across an urban gradient in South Florida. We tested whether Salmonella prevalence was associated with changes in ibis diet (stable isotope analysis), space use (site fidelity via GPS tracking), and local density (flock size). We compared the relative importance of these mechanisms by ranking candidate models using logistic regression. We detected Salmonella in 27% of white ibises (n = 233) sampled at 15 sites. Ibises with diets higher in anthropogenic food exhibited higher site fidelity. Salmonella prevalence was higher at sites where ibises exhibited greater site fidelity and Salmonella was more prevalent in soil and water. Overlap in Salmonella serotypes between ibises and soil or water also was more likely at sites where ibises exhibited higher site fidelity. Our results suggest that repeated use of foraging areas may increase Salmonella exposure for birds if foraging areas are contaminated from animal feces, human waste, or other bacterial sources. Limiting wildlife feeding in parks—perhaps best achieved through understanding the motivations for feeding, education, and enforcement—may reduce health risks for wildlife and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parastrigea diovadena Dubois and Macko, 1972, is an allogenic trematode species that infects the intestine of white ibis. This widely distributed Neotropical species has been studied poorly, and nothing is known about its population genetic structure. In the current study, we attempt to fill this gap for the first time and to explore the genetic diversity in P. diovadena populations from three biogeographic provinces (Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, and Sierra Madre del Sur) in the Neotropical region of Mexico. Newly generated sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) from ribosomal DNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox 1) from mitochondrial DNA were compared with sequences available from the GenBank data set. Phylogenetic analyses performed with the ITS and cox 1 data sets using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference unequivocally showed that new sequences of P. diovadena recovered from the white ibis formed a clade with other sequences of specimens previously identified as P. diovadena. The intraspecific genetic divergence among the isolates was very low, ranging from 0 to 0.38% for ITS and from 0 to 1.5% for cox 1, and in combination with the phylogenetic trees confirmed that the isolates belonged to the same species. The cox 1 haplotype network (star-shaped) inferred with 62 sequences revealed 36 haplotypes. The most frequent haplotype (H3, n = 18) corresponded to specimens from all the populations (except Tecolutla, Veracruz). In addition to the common haplotype, we identified four other shared haplotypes (H2, H9, H12, and H14) and 31 unique haplotypes (singlets). In addition, high haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.913), low nucleotide diversity (Pi = 0.0057), and null genetic differentiation or population structure (Fst = 0.0167) were found among the populations from the three biogeographic provinces. The results suggest that the biology of the definitive host has played a key role in the population genetic structure of Parastrigea diovadena in the Neotropical region of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As avian reproductive success is generally prey limited, identifying important prey types or sizes and understanding mechanisms governing prey availability are important objectives for avian conservation ecology. Irruptive White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) nesting at coastal colonies in the southern Everglades numbered over 100,000 nests in the 1930s. A century of drainage and altered hydrologic patterns reduced aquatic prey availability and eliminated large nesting events; nesting activity in recent decades has been typically less than 5% of historical peaks. Hydrologic restoration is expected to increase ibis nesting activity, but which prey types will support high nesting effort is less clear. In 2017 and 2018, we collected food boluses from White Ibis chicks at coastal colonies in Everglades National Park. We also monitored regional nesting activity from 1999 to 2018. In 2017, the region had 1,075 nests, typical of the past several decades; but in 2018, there were 30,420 nests, representing the highest recorded nesting activity in 87 yr. Prey composition varied between years; estuarine crabs dominated nestling boluses in 2017, while crayfish and fish were dominant prey in 2018. Crayfish, especially Procambarus alleni, were heavily exploited by ibis early in the 2018 breeding season, while fish were used more at the end. Crayfish abundances in wetlands near the colonies were higher prior to 2018, and more crayfishproducing short-hydroperiod wetlands remained available for ibis foraging in 2018. Our results support previous studies indicating that crayfish are important prey for breeding ibises and suggest that unprecedented, extensive flooding of seasonal wetlands promoted crayfish production and initiated the irruptive breeding in 2018. Our observations indicate that rehydration of the southern Everglades could restore ibis nesting activity at coastal colonies, but further investigations of hydrologic variation, crayfish production, and ibis foraging and nesting activity will be helpful to understand these dynamics and the importance of short-hydroperiod wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed δ13C and δ15N profiles and endoparasite community composition in Great Egrets (Ardea alba), Great Blue Herons (A. herodias), and White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) from four wildlife rescue centers (two mainland, two on islands in the Florida Keys) in south Florida, USA to elucidate feeding ecology. We detected among-species differences for δ15N but not δ13C and noted decreased δ13C enrichment in Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons (but not White Ibis) from these centers. Parasite component community and infracommunity species richness were higher in Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons relative to White Ibis, and higher in birds of the same species from mainland centers. Multivariate analysis of parasite infracommunity structure detected co-occurring clusters of parasite taxa characteristic of Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons on the one part, and of White Ibis on the other; mainland Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons had similar parasite communities and clustered separately from conspecifics from the islands. We detected a significant (negative) correlation of infracommunity species richness with δ13C but not δ15N. Lastly, parasite infracommunity Bray-Curtis similarity correlated significantly with stable isotope Euclidean distances. We conclude that the two approaches converge towards similar outcomes, providing complementary and consilient information on host feeding ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian White Ibis (Ibis) (Threskiornis molucca) is one of three endemic Ibis species in Australia. In a short time frame beginning in the 1970s, this species has moved from inland waterways to urban centres along the eastern and southeastern seaboards, Darwin and the Western Australian southwest. Today Ibis are at home in cities across the country, where they thrive on the food waste, water resources and nesting sites supplied by humans. In this article, the authors focus on Sydney to argue that the physical and cultural inroads of Ibis, and the birds' urban homeliness, are resignifying urban surfaces and the multispecies ecologies in which contemporary Australians operate. They explore how the very physical and sensory presence of Ibis disrupts the assumptions of many urban Australians, and visitors from overseas, that cities are human-centric or human-dominant, non-hybrid assemblages. They also introduce to this discussion of disrupted human expectations a cultural parallel, namely, the recent rise of Ibis in popular culture as an icon-in-the-making of the nation and as a totem of the modern Australian city itself. This trend exemplifies an avian-led revisualization of urban spaces, and is notable for its visual appeals to Ibis kitsch, and to working class or 'bogan' sensibilities that assert their place alongside cosmopolitan visions of being Australian. Sometimes kitsch Ibis imagery erupts across the urban landscape, as occurs with many Ibis murals. At other times it infiltrates daily life on clothing, on football club, university and business logos, as tattoos on people's skin, and as words in daily idiom, confirmed by terms such as 'picnic pirates', 'tip turkeys' and 'bin chickens'. The article uses a visual vignette methodology to chart Ibis moves into Sydney and the realms of representation alike, and thus to reveal how new zoöpolitical entanglements are being made in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) is a nomadic wading bird common to wetland habitats in the southeastern US. In south Florida, US, habitat depletion has driven many ibis to become highly urbanized. Although they forage in neighborhood parks, artificial wetlands, backyards, and golf courses, the majority continue to nest in natural wetlands, often in dense, mixed species colonies. Adults and juveniles commonly disperse thousands of kilometers to other breeding colonies along the Gulf and southeast Atlantic coasts, presenting the potential for close contact with humans, domestic animals, and other wild bird species. Historically, wading birds were not considered to be significant hosts for influenza A virus (IAV), yet as ibis regularly move among various human, domestic animal, and wildlife interfaces, their potential to be exposed to or infected with IAV deserves attention. We experimentally challenged wild-caught, captive-reared White Ibis (n=20) with IAV, tested wild White Ibis for IAV, and serologically tested wild White Ibis for antibodies to IAV. White Ibis were highly susceptible to experimental challenge with H6N1 and H11N9 IAVs, with cloacal shedding lasting an average of 6 d. All 13 infected birds seroconverted by 14 d postinfection as determined by microneutralization. In contrast, no birds challenged with H3N8 were infected. We tested 118 swabs and 578 serum samples from White Ibis captured in southeastern Florida for IAV infection and antibodies to IAV, respectively. Although no IAVs were isolated, 70.4% serum samples were antibody positive by blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (bELISA). Neutralizing antibodies to H1–H12 were detected in 96.0% of a subset of bELISA positive birds (n=196) and 81.0% tested antibody positive to two or more hemagglutinin subtypes, indicating that exposure to multiple IAVs is common. These results provide evidence that White Ibis are susceptible and naturally infected with IAV and may represent a component of the IAV natural reservoir system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), a nomadic wading bird, has increased its exploitation of urban habitats in South Florida, United States, and has recently established several urban breeding colonies. Certain characteristics of ibis ecology could position them in the natural cycle of the avian influenza virus (AIV). In fact, experimentally infected ibises were shown to be competent hosts for multiple AIV subtypes, and seroconversion to AIV has been documented in adult ibises in natural populations. However, the mechanisms of transmission and the timing of infection are unclear as we have yet to isolate AIV from a free-living ibis. To investigate the age-specific AIV dynamics of ibis, we captured nestlings (n = 115) weekly for 1–4 weeks from urban and natural settings in 2020 and 2021. We collected choanal/cloacal swabs for rRT-PCR and virus isolation, and plasma to screen for maternal AIV antibodies. AIV was not detected in any individual by virus isolation; however, maternal antibodies to AIV were detected in 95% of nestlings, with varying rates of catabolism. These results confirm that nestlings are afforded maternal antibodies from adults at rates reflective of higher adult seroprevalence than previously documented and that nestlings in breeding colonies may have some degree of protection and are unlikely to become infected with AIV.

In 2017, the Nevada Bird Records Committee reviewed 83 reports from the period 6 February 1940-1 November 2017; 66 were endorsed. Two new species, the White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) and the Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis) sensu lato, were added to the Nevada list following endorsement of the first state records. The endorsement of a record of the Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) completed our years-long project to have endorsed records for every species on the Nevada list that the committee reviews. The Nevada state list now stands at 489 species, while the review list contains 141 species and two subspecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many wildlife species shift their diets to use novel resources in urban areas. The consequences of these shifts are not well known, and consumption of reliable--but low quality--anthropogenic food may present important trade-offs for wildlife health. This may be especially true for carnivorous species such as the American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), a nomadic wading bird which has been increasingly observed in urban parks in South Florida, USA. We tested the effects of anthropogenic provisioning on consumer nutrition (i.e. dietary protein), body condition and ectoparasite burdens along an urban gradient using stable isotope analysis, scaled mass index values and GPS transmitter data. Ibises that assimilated more provisioned food were captured at more urban sites, used more urban habitat, had lower mass--length residuals, lower ectoparasite scores, assimilated less d15N and had smaller dietary isotopic ellipses. Our results suggest that ibises in urban areas are heavily provisioned with anthropogenic food, which appears to offer a trade-off by providing low-quality, but easily accessible, calories that may not support high mass but may increase time available for anti-parasite behaviours such as preening. Understanding such trade-offs is important for investigating the effects of provisioning on infection risk and the conservation of wildlife in human-modified habitats. This article is part of the theme issue 'Anthropogenic resource subsidies and host--parasite dynamics in wildlife'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relatively few studies on hemoparasites have been conducted on wading birds in the families Ardeidae and Threskiornithidae (order Pelecaniformes), especially in the United States. In this study, we obtained baseline data on the prevalence and genetic diversity of haemosporidian parasites in wading birds opportunistically sampled from southern Florida, USA. We detected blood parasites in White Ibis ( Eudocimus albus ), Glossy Ibis ( Plegadis falcinellus ), Green Heron ( Butorides virescens ), and Roseate Spoonbill ( Platalea ajaja ) with several novel host-parasite relationships. Infected birds had low parasitemias (average 0.77%, range 0–4%) suggesting that infections were chronic. Despite the low sample sizes for several of our sampled species, these data highlight the diversity of parasites in this understudied group of birds and suggest that additional studies are needed to investigate the potential impacts of these parasites on their health, especially since southern Florida is becoming increasingly urbanized which can alter parasite transmission or host susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a seven-year data set of visitation of an inner city park by the Australian white ibis, we investigated whether rain events were correlated with ibis abundance in the park. The park is associated with high levels of anthropogenic food, but relatively low levels of natural food sources. For all magnitudes of rainfall tested, ibis abundance significantly decreased after a rainfall event, although stronger responses were associated with higher rainfall, with a 46% decline in ibis abundance following rainfall events of ≥60 mm. Average ibis abundance was higher during the dry, non-breeding period than during the breeding period, and variation associated with rainfall was particularly pronounced in the non-breeding period. However, the rainfall response was still evident in both periods. Results suggest that rainfall influences the ibis distribution in urban centres either by decreasing anthropogenic food supplied to the birds, forcing the birds to relocate to forage, or increasing the amount of natural food available elsewhere, or a combination of the two. Increased rainfall intensified the response by ibis, and our results demonstrate the importance of climatic processes on the behaviour of urban birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic habitats often provide urban wildlife the opportunity to feed on a range of nutritionally diverse foods, which may ultimately lead to human-wildlife conflict. The Australian white ibis (Threskiornis moluccus) provides an exemplar model for examining the nutritional priorities and constraints of a native vertebrate that is successfully transitioning to an urban specialist. Here, we used fieldbased feeding trials to investigate the macronutrient preferences of free-ranging ibis in Sydney, Australia. Feeding trials (n = 61) offering three experimental feeds showed that ibis selected significantly more high-carbohydrate (HC) than high-protein (HP) and high-lipid (HL) foods (95% CIHP-HC = -1.115 to -0.709; CIHL-HC = -1.874 to -1.468), and significantly more HP than HL (CIHL-HP = -0.962 to -0.556). The average proportion of macronutrient-derived energy selected by ibis was 25% protein (P; ± 1.1 SE): 23% lipid (L; ± 1.1): 52% carbohydrate (C; ± 1.8). Nutritional geometry suggested that mixtures selected at experimental feeders were substantially higher in C and lower in P than are natural prey (e.g. insects, crustaceans), which were composed primarily of P and L. Compositional log-ratio-based linear models of factors affecting macronutrient proportions selected by ibis showed that: 1) ln(P/C) increased with amount of recent rainfall; and 2) ln(L/C) also increased with rain and had a non-linear relationship with number of birds feeding. Our results suggest that ibis forage for macronutrients rather than energy "per se", and that their urban foraging is influenced by competition and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a study of the endohelminths of wading birds from the Texas Gulf coast, 12 specimens of an undescribed species of Patagifer Dietz, 1909 (Echinostomatidae: Nephrostominae) were collected from 2 of 8 white ibis, Eudocimus albus (Linnaeus) (Threskiornithidae), from the Galveston and Brazos County areas of Texas, USA. Patagifer lamothei n. sp. can be distinguished from P. bilobus (Rudolphi, 1819), P. brygooi Richard, 1964, P. consimilis Dietz, 1909, and P. fraternus Johnston, 1917, where the testes are close together (contiguous to nearly contiguous), the ovary is close to the anterior testis (a distance that is less than the length of the ovary), and the posttesticular space is less extensive, by having the testes separated from each other by a distance approximately equal to or greater than the length of the ovary, the ovary positioned about the length or longer of the ovary from the anterior testis, and by having a more extensive posttesticular space. In addition, the ovary of the new species is located just ahead of midbody rather than being at midbody, as is seen in P. bilobus, P. fraternus, and P. vioscai Lumsden, 1962, or below midbody, as is the case in P. brygooi and P. consimilis. The new species is most like P. simarai Nigam, 1944 in the similar distance between testes, position of the ovary, and the posttesticular space (30-36% of the body length). The new species differs from P. simarai by having a smaller body size, a smaller oral sucker and pharynx, a smaller acetabulum, ovary, testes, cirrus sac, and smaller spines on the margin of the collar, but larger corner spines, and the ovary of the new species is located immediately anterior to the midbody, while in P. simarai it is located well ahead of the midbody.En un estudio de endohelmintos de aves de los humedales de la costa de Texas, se recolectaron 12 ejemplares de una especie no descrita de Patagifer Dietz, 1909 (Echinostomatidae: Nephrostominae) en 2 ibis blancos de 8 examinados Eudocimus albus (Linnaeus) (Threskiornithidae) procedentes de los condados de Galveston y Brazos, Texas, EUA. Patagifer lamothei n. sp. se puede distinguir de P. bilobus (Rudolphi, 1819), P. brygooi Richard, 1964, P. consimilis Dietz, 1909, y P. fraternus Johnston, 1917, por la posición de los testículos, contiguos o casi, por la distancia entre el ovario y el testículo anterior que es menor que la longitud del ovario, y el espacio postesticular que es menos extenso, por tener el espacio intertesticular aproximadamente igual o mayor que la longitud del ovario, por el ovario ubicado a una distancia del testículo anterior igual o mayor que la longitud del ovario, y por tener un espacio postesticular más extenso. Además, el ovario de la especie nueva se localiza justamente delante de la mitad corporal, a diferencia de P. bilobus, P. fraternus y P. vioscai Lumsden, 1962, en los cuales se encuentra en la mitad del cuerpo y de P. brygooi y P. consimilis, donde se ubica en la mitad posterior. La especie nueva se asemeja a P. simarai Nigam, 1944 por la distancia entre los testículos, la posición del ovario y el espacio postesticular (30 y 36% de la longitud corporal). Sin embargo, difiere de P. simarai por el cuerpo de menor tamaño, por poseer faringe, ventosa oral y ventral, ovario, testículos y bolsa del cirro, todos ellos de menor tamaño y por presentar espinas pequeñas en el margen del collar y espinas de mayor tamaño en los ángulos del mismo. Adicionalmente, el ovario de la especie nueva se localiza inmediatamente anterior al punto medio corporal, mientras que en P. simarai, se localiza bastante adelante de dicho punto.

Worldwide, Salmonella spp. is a significant cause of disease for both humans and wildlife, with wild birds adapted to urban environments having different opportunities for pathogen exposure, infection, and transmission compared to their natural conspecifics. Food provisioning by people may influence these factors, especially when high-density mixed species flocks aggregate. White Ibises (Eudocimus albus), an iconic Everglades species in decline in Florida, are becoming increasingly common in urbanized areas of south Florida where most are hand-fed. We examined the prevalence of Salmonella shedding by ibises to determine the role of landscape characteristics where ibis forage and their behavior, on shedding rates. We also compared Salmonella isolated from ibises to human isolates to better understand non-foodborne human salmonellosis. From 2010–2013, 13% (n = 261) adult/subadult ibises and 35% (n = 72) nestlings sampled were shedding Salmonella. The prevalence of Salmonella shedding by ibises significantly decreased as the percent of Palustrine emergent wetlands and herbaceous grasslands increased, and increased as the proportion of open-developed land types (e.g. parks, lawns, golf courses) increased, suggesting that natural ecosystem land cover types supported birds with a lower prevalence of infection. A high diversity of Salmonella serotypes (n = 24) and strain types (43 PFGE types) were shed by ibises, of which 33% of the serotypes ranked in the top 20 of high significance for people in the years of the study. Importantly, 44% of the Salmonella Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis patterns for ibis isolates (n = 43) matched profiles in the CDC PulseNet USA database. Of these, 20% came from Florida in the same three years we sampled ibis. Importantly, there was a negative relationship between the amount of Palustrine emergent wetland and the number of Salmonella isolates from ibises that matched human cases in the PulseNet database (p = 0.056). Together, our results indicate that ibises are good indicators of salmonellae strains circulating in their environment and they have both the potential and opportunity to transmit salmonellae to people. Finally, they may act as salmonellae carriers to natural environments where other more highly-susceptible groups (nestlings) may be detrimentally affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calls to rethink our ethical and political responsibilities with nonhuman others abound recent work in cultural geography. Such work unpacks the more-than-human agencies reshaping and rematerialising our bodies and subjective knowledges. This article uncovers the coproduction of human knowledges and urban spaces by examining the problematic migration of the Australian White Ibis into Australian urban localities. We put forth a storied approach to human-ibis relations, capturing the multiple and situated experiences materialising our urban relations with the species. Drawing on ibis ethology, media narratives, personal and interviewee stories, we explore how ibis take part in the co-constitution of urban spaces and identities. In particular, we examine how the ibis as a pest narrative is mobilised and reproduced in public and media discourses that shape the species identity and influence modes of relating. Both the publics and our own personal intra-actions with ibis shed light on conceptions of nonhuman belonging, death and human desires for living-with. This article forwards a cosmopolitical approach to provoke a reconceptualisation of our ethical and political responsibility with urban ibis. We question the narrative of ibis-as-pest to forward ideas of living-with that provokes new modes of relating, uncomfortable for either party. Within these precarious relations, possibilities open for nonhierarchical modes of cohabitation, challenging our political and ethical responsibilities in living-with uncomfortable others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the first documented breeding of Australian White Ibis in the Saint Peters Billabong and possibly long the River Torrens in urban Adelaide, South Australia. Topics include records of Australian White Ibis along the River Torrens, increase in the number of Australian White Ibis in the Billabong in March 2015, and the impact of ibis on local residents and park users and the water quality in the lake.

M aritrema corai n. sp. is described based on material from the intestine of the white ibis Eudocimus albus (L.) (Threskiornithidae) in Mexico. The new species can be distinguished morphologically from all congeners by the unique combination of the following morphological features: a very long cirrus sac attenuated distally [cirrus sac to body length ratio 1:0.90-1.29 (mean 1:1.07)]; a large, elongate-oval seminal receptacle, located dorsally between the cirrus sac and ovary; and long, filiform, unarmed, evaginable cirrus. Phylogenetic analyses of 28S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences for the new species and for Maritrema spp. and Microphallus spp. depicted strong support for the two genera (excluding Microphallus fusiformis) and revealed close relationships between Ma. corai n. sp. and the clade formed by Maritrema novaezealandense Martorelli, Fredensborg, Mouritsen & Poulin, 2004, Maritrema heardi (Kinsella & Deblock, 1994) and Maritrema cf. eroliae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of predators on prey populations can be especially strong in aquatic ecosystems, but disturbances may mediate the strength of predator limitation and even allow outbreaks of some prey populations. In a two-year study we investigated the numerical responses of crayfish (Procambarus fallax) and small fishes (Poeciliidae and Fundulidae) to a brief hydrological disturbance in replicated freshwater wetlands with an experimental drying and large predatory fish reduction. The experiment and an in situ predation assay tested the component of the consumer stress model positing that disturbances release prey from predator limitation. In the disturbed wetlands, abundances of large predatory fish were seasonally reduced, similar to dynamics in the Everglades (southern Florida). Densities of small fish were unaffected by the disturbance, but crayfish densities, which were similar across all wetlands before drying, increased almost threefold in the year after the disturbance. Upon re-flooding, juvenile crayfish survival was inversely related to the abundance of large fish across wetlands, but we found no evidence for enhanced algal food quality. At a larger landscape scale (500 km² of the Everglades), crayfish densities over eight years were positively correlated with the severity of local dry disturbances (up to 99 days dry) during the preceding dry season. In contrast, densities of small-bodied fishes in the same wetlands were seasonally depressed by dry disturbances. The results from our experimental wetland drought and the observations of crayfish densities in the Everglades represent a large-scale example of prey population release following a hydrological disturbance in a freshwater ecosystem. The conditions producing crayfish pulses in the Everglades appear consistent with the mechanics of the consumer stress model, and we suggest crayfish pulses may influence the number of nesting wading birds in the Everglades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1982 Opel-Zoo Kronberg started keeping Oriental white ibis in central European climate. Since then at least 61 ibis hatched, the total 30-day-mortality was 25% (N = 15). As far as known changes in diet over time and their effects are listed as well as dates of hatching since 1994. Unknown behavior such as allogrooming in young non-siblings, overlapping brood and feeding on willow leafs is described, as well as wing-claws in juvenile Oriental white ibis. In addition we added information from literature to give an overview of this particular ibis species. Oriental white ibis is listed as near threatened since 2004. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article features the 71st report of the Colorado Bird Records Committee (CBRC) covering the period December 1997-September 2013. Topics discussed include the committee members voting on the report, the functions of the CRBC and the state bird species covered in the report, including Magnificent Frigatebird, White Ibis and Curlew Sandpiper.

The article investigates the taxonomic status of the Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) and the White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) by DNA markings. Mitochondrial markers showed that the Scarlet Ibis and the White Ibis did not share any haplotype in mitochondrial genes while species delimitation showed two different lineages. The study concludes that the two Ibises have strong signal of speciation despite polyphyly in nuclear markers.

Among aquatic fauna of fluctuating wetlands, seasonal interhabitat movement is a widespread phenomenon that can strongly influence predator-prey interactions and population dynamics of vertebrate predators. For example, movements increase the availability of small fishes during seasonal drying, which is critical to the reproductive success of many wading bird ( Ciconiiformes) species. However, few studies have examined movements of aquatic fauna in relation to changes in water depth, especially for those taxa that can physiologically tolerate periods of drying and whose responses to hydrology are difficult to predict (e.g. crayfish)., Here, we experimentally explore the movement responses of a key prey species in the Florida Everglades - the slough crayfish Procambarus fallax - to a seasonal decline in water depth. The study was conducted in four replicate wetland impoundments (wetlands) which comprise habitats characteristic of the Florida Everglades. In two wetlands, we induced a 60-cm drop in water level and examined crayfish movements between higher-elevation ridge habitats and lower-elevation slough habitats when water levels were (i) relatively deep on ridges; (ii) relatively shallow on ridges; and (iii) below ground on ridges but above ground in sloughs. In two control wetlands, we followed the identical sampling protocol but maintained the deep stage on the ridges. Crayfish movements were quantified by changes in abundance and mark-release-recapture ( MRR)., Crayfish abundance changed little within habitats while water remained on the ridges, but it decreased on the ridges and considerably increased in the sloughs after the ridges dried. These changes were clearly due to loss of water on the ridges as abundances in control wetlands remained constant throughout sampling. Elevated slough abundances were not explained by differences in trapping efficiency or episodic releases of recently hatched crayfish, suggesting they were due largely to movements from ridges to sloughs. This was supported by the MRR data., Our results show that seasonal water-level recessions can induce crayfish to move from higher to lower-elevation habitats where they become concentrated and potentially available to foraging birds. We discuss the potential implications of these movements for restoring hydrologic conditions for wading birds in large fluctuating wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article stresses the importance of crayfish as prey fed to White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) chicks in the northern Everglades in Florida between 2008 and 2009 nesting seasons. During the said years, crayfish were the dominant prey type for the chicks, and it is present in 58-88% of chick boluses across all collections.

The article focuses on the diverse range of articles in the spring 2022 issue of Maryland Birdlife, featuring discoveries like Maryland's first Red-billed Tropicbird, the initial nesting record of White Ibis in Maryland, and the documentation of unusual nest sites used by Northern Rough-winged Swallows. Topics covered include observations of potential infanticide in Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and a summary of Maryland Ornithological Society sanctuaries.

Since the 1970s, populations of the Australian White Ibis ( Threskiornis molucca) have dramatically increased in many Australian urban centres. Managers of ibis are currently focusing on limiting this bird's reproductive success in order to reduce population sizes or at least halt further increases in urban areas. Here we use data on nesting success and survival for three populations of ibis around greater Sydney to develop an age-structured population model. The estimated growth rate for all populations combined was about 1.5 % per year and for individual sites were more variable at −1, −7, and 9 %. For all populations, growth rates were most sensitive (based on elasticity analyses) to the survival of adults and least sensitive to fecundity, especially of 3 year olds. Further exploration of the importance of fecundity rates, which are relatively poorly known for these populations, suggests that rates of <0.4 fledglings per nest per year is very likely to lead to a population decline ( λ less than lower bound of 95 % CI). Conversely, positive population growth is nearly assured ( λ greater than upper bound of 95 % CI) for fecundities of >0.7 fledgling per nest per year. The results suggest that ibis from other locations (probably their traditional breeding areas in inland Australia) have immigrated into urban environments as estimated growth rates cannot account for current population sizes. Management strategies must take these findings into account and also consider that ibis are declining in their traditional habitats to avoid exacerbating their decline at a regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The hydrology of wetland ecosystems is a key driver of both mercury (Hg) methylation and waterbird foraging ecology, and hence may play a fundamental role in waterbird exposure and risk to Hg contamination. However, few studies have investigated hydrological factors that influence waterbird Hg exposure. We examined how several landscape-level hydrological variables influenced Hg concentrations in great egret and white ibis adults and chicks in the Florida Everglades. The great egret is a visual “exploiter” species that tolerates lower prey densities and is less sensitive to hydrological conditions than is the white ibis, which is a tactile “searcher” species that pursues higher prey densities in shallow water. Mercury concentrations in adult great egrets were most influenced by the spatial region that they occupied in the Everglades (higher in the southern region); whereas the number of days a site was dry during the previous dry season was the most important factor influencing Hg concentrations in adult ibis (Hg concentrations increased with the number of days dry). In contrast, Hg concentrations in egret chicks were most influenced by calendar date (increasing with date), whereas Hg concentrations in ibis chicks were most influenced by chick age, region, and water recession rate (Hg concentrations decreased with age, were higher in the southern regions, and increased with positive water recession rates). Our results indicate that both recent (preceding two weeks) hydrological conditions, and those of the prior year, influence Hg concentrations in wading birds. Further, these results suggest that Hg exposure in wading birds is driven by complex relationships between wading bird behavior and life stage, landscape hydrologic patterns, and biogeochemical processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article offers information on the species included in the 11th report of the Avian Records Committee of Connecticut. As such the list includes 431 species. Sightings were reported for Cory's Shearwater, Calonectris diomedea, in the wake of Super Storm Sandy on October 30, 2012 in Old Saybrook. On September 6, 2012, a juvenile White Ibis, Eudocimus albus, was sighted and photographed at Sandy Point in West Haven. Also mentioned is the Black-Legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla.

Many wetland communities are fire prone or fire dependent, especially those dominated by forbs and grasses. Despite our considerable knowledge about fire effects on wildlife in uplands, there is a relative paucity of information about effects of fire in wetland systems. Long-legged wading birds (herons, egrets, ibises, storks, spoonbills; order Ciconiiformes) may benefit from fire through the exposure of prey after vegetation removal, or through a trophic response of prey to increased availability of nutrients and increased light. We conducted aerial surveys of foraging wading birds in prescribed burns and adjacent unburned areas in the central Everglades, Florida, USA, to determine if wading birds select for burned habitats. We measured aquatic prey density in burned and unburned sawgrass (Cladium mariscus [L.] Pohl ssp. jamaicense [Crantz] Kük ), and densities of prey injured or killed in the fires. We also observed foraging great egrets (Ardea alba L.) in and adjacent to prescribed burns to determine whether foraging success (i.e., capture efficiency and capture rate) differed between burned and unburned areas. Great egrets and white ibises (Eudocimus albus L.) selected for burns and areas of deeper water adjacent to burned areas, and avoided dense, tall, unburned vegetation. Measured densities of prey killed by the fire were very low. Live aquatic prey densities did not differ between burned and unburned sawgrass. Great egrets had higher capture rates in sloughs adjacent to burns than in burned areas, but were more efficient at capturing prey in burned areas than in adjacent sloughs. Prescribed fires created short-term shallow water habitats (burned areas) with limited submerged and emergent vegetation, making prey in burns more vulnerable despite lower densities (availability) compared to adjacent sloughs. This research suggests that prescribed fire in grass-dominated wetlands may attract predators like wading birds primarily because removal of vegetation makes prey easier to capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]