White-shouldered Ibis

The white-shouldered ibis is a large, dark ibis with a long downcurved bill, bare bluish-grey head and neck and a conspicuous white patch across the inner wing and shoulder. The body appears brown-black, with a paler collar and reddish legs visible at close range. In flight the white shoulder forms a bold contrast against the otherwise dark wings. Young birds are duller and retain more feathering on the head and neck than adults (Wikipedia, general species account, drawing on Hancock et al.).

The surviving population is centred in northern and eastern Cambodia, with smaller groups in southern Laos and Indonesian Borneo. Birds forage singly, in pairs or family parties in dry deciduous forest, grazed clearings, river margins and seasonal pools, probing for frogs, eels, worms, mole crickets, leeches and insect larvae. Drying pools concentrate amphibian prey and can influence breeding timing. Solitary nests are built high in trees, and clutches contain two to four pale blue eggs (Wright et al. 2013; Wikipedia, general species account).