Black-faced Ibis
Encyclopedia
The Black-faced Ibis is a species of bird
in the Threskiornithidae
family. It is found in grassland
and fields in southern and western South America
. It has been included as a subspecies
of the similar Buff-necked Ibis
, but today all major authorities accept the split
. On the contrary, the Black-faced Ibis includes the taxon
branickii as a subspecies
, although some authorities treat it as a separate species, the Andean Ibis (T. branickii).
, the crown and nape are cinnamon, the upperparts and (often incomplete) chest-band are grey, the belly and flight feather
s are black, and the wing-coverts are whitish (though not contrasting strongly with the grey upperparts). The bill
, throat-wattle and bare skin around the eyes are blackish and the legs are red. In the subspecies branickii the throat-wattle is smaller, the bill is shorter, the wing-coverts are greyer, the lower chest is paler and the cinnamon on the crown and nape is brighter and more extensive.
The similar Buff-necked Ibis is almost entirely restricted to warm regions, has contrasting large white wing-patches, a dark grey (not buff) lower chest, and its throat-wattle is smaller than in T. m. melanopis.
and Chile
, where it occurs from sea-level to an altitude of approximately 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft). It also occurs very locally in coastal Peru
. While it remains fairly common in Argentina and Chile, this subspecies has now been almost entirely extirpated from the Peruvian part of its range.
The subspecies branickii is restricted to altitudes of 3000 to 5000 m (9,842.5 to 16,404.2 ft) in the Andean highlands of Bolivia
, Peru and Ecuador
. It is generally uncommon, and formerly also occurred in Lauca
in far northern Chile.
Overall the species is not threatened, and consequently treated as Least Concern
by the IUCN.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Threskiornithidae
Threskiornithidae
The family Threskiornithidae includes 34 species of large terrestrial and wading birds, falling into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills. It was formerly known as Plataleidae. The spoonbills and ibises were once thought to be related to other groups of long-legged wading birds in the...
family. It is found in grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and fields in southern and western South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. It has been included as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the similar Buff-necked Ibis
Buff-necked Ibis
The Buff-necked Ibis , also known as the White-throated Ibis, is a fairly large ibis found widely in open habitats of eastern and northern South America...
, but today all major authorities accept the split
Lumpers and splitters
Lumping and splitting refers to a well-known problem in any discipline which has to place individual examples into rigorously defined categories. The lumper/splitter problem occurs when there is the need to create classifications and assign examples to them, for example schools of literature,...
. On the contrary, the Black-faced Ibis includes the taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
branickii as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
, although some authorities treat it as a separate species, the Andean Ibis (T. branickii).
Description
It has a total length of approximately 75 centimetres (29.5 in). In the nominate subspecies the head, neck and lower chest are buffishBuff (colour)
Buff is a pale yellow-brown colour that got its name from the colour of buff leather.Displayed on the right is the colour buff.EtymologyAccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, buff as a descriptor of a colour was first used in the London Gazette of 1686, describing a uniform to be "A Red Coat...
, the crown and nape are cinnamon, the upperparts and (often incomplete) chest-band are grey, the belly and flight feather
Flight feather
Flight feathers are the long, stiff, asymmetrically shaped, but symmetrically paired feathers on the wings or tail of a bird; those on the wings are called remiges while those on the tail are called rectrices . Their primary function is to aid in the generation of both thrust and lift, thereby...
s are black, and the wing-coverts are whitish (though not contrasting strongly with the grey upperparts). The bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
, throat-wattle and bare skin around the eyes are blackish and the legs are red. In the subspecies branickii the throat-wattle is smaller, the bill is shorter, the wing-coverts are greyer, the lower chest is paler and the cinnamon on the crown and nape is brighter and more extensive.
The similar Buff-necked Ibis is almost entirely restricted to warm regions, has contrasting large white wing-patches, a dark grey (not buff) lower chest, and its throat-wattle is smaller than in T. m. melanopis.
Distribution and status
The nominate subspecies of the Black-faced Ibis is mainly found in southern South America, ranging throughout most of southern and central ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, where it occurs from sea-level to an altitude of approximately 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft). It also occurs very locally in coastal Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. While it remains fairly common in Argentina and Chile, this subspecies has now been almost entirely extirpated from the Peruvian part of its range.
The subspecies branickii is restricted to altitudes of 3000 to 5000 m (9,842.5 to 16,404.2 ft) in the Andean highlands of Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Peru and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. It is generally uncommon, and formerly also occurred in Lauca
Lauca National Park
Lauca National Park is located in Chile's far north, in the Andean range. It encompasses an area of 1,379 km² of altiplano and mountains, the latter consisting mainly of enormous volcanoes. Las Vicuñas National Reserve is its neighbour to the south. Both protected areas, along with Salar de Surire...
in far northern Chile.
Overall the species is not threatened, and consequently treated as Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
by the IUCN.