Ibises and Spoonbills - Family Threskiornithidae

[Amoli]

Some Glossy Ibis

[Lisbeth]

Southern bald Ibis - Harrismith

[PRWIN]

African Spoonbill

[Klipspringer]

All spoonbills are monogamous, but, so far as is known, only for one season at a time. Most species nest in trees or reed beds, often with ibises or herons. The male gathers nesting material—mostly sticks and reeds, sometimes taken from an old nest—the female weaves it into a large, shallow bowl or platform which varies in its shape and structural integrity according to species.

The female lays a clutch of about three smooth, oval, white eggs and both parents incubate; chicks hatch one at a time rather than all together. The newly hatched young are blind and cannot care for themselves immediately; both parents feed them by partial regurgitation. Chicks' bills are short and straight, and only gain the characteristic spoonbill shape as they mature. Their feeding continues for a few weeks longer after the family leaves the nest.

[Richprins]

I didn't know they were storks!

[Lisbeth]

Once I thought that they were called spoon-billed storks

[Richprins]

[Klipspringer]

They are not Storks, but in the family Threskiornithidae, the ibises and the spoonbills

The family Threskiornithidae 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 order Ciconiiformes. A recent study found that they are members of the order Pelecaniformes. In response to these findings, the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) reclassified Threskiornithidae and their sister taxa Ardeidae under the order Pelecaniformes instead of the previous order of Ciconiiformes.

[Klipspringer]

The order PELECANIFORMES comprises Ibis, spoonbills, herons, hamerkop, shoebill, pelicans

Family Threskiornithidae: Ibises, Spoonbills
In Southern Africa occur:
Threskiornis aethiopicus African Sacred Ibis
Geronticus calvus Southern Bald Ibis
Bostrychia hagedash Hadada Ibis
Platalea alba African Spoonbill


Medium-sized wading and terrestrial birds of temperate and tropic regions, with prominent bills (decurved in ibises, broad and flat in spoonbills), long neck and legs, anterior toes, and highly social habits.

The ibises, with their long, narrow, and markedly down-curved beak, probe for insects, mollusks, crustaceans, and worms in mud and soil; occasionally they also catch larger prey.
The spoonbills, with a beak that is flattened and widened at the tip, seize prey in side-to-side movements of the bill. They do not interrupt wing beats by gliding.

All members of the family Threskiornithidae are medium to large in size. The face and throat are bare of feathers in most species; the medium-length legs are sturdy. The vocal apparatus is only feebly developed; they only utter low sounds or are almost mute, although a few species utter far-reaching calls. Spoonbills can also clatter with the beak. Both sexes are similar in color, the females generally being somewhat smaller than the males. Most plumage is white, brown, or black. Uniform coloration is the rule, sometimes with adornments such as display plumes. The standout exceptions in the family are the roseate spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), whose shaded pink plumage is offset by a strange-looking head with bare greenish skin, and the scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber), with its striking uniform red plumage broken only by black wingtips. Most species have some areas of bare skin on the face. The sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), has no feathers anywhere on the head or neck.

Behavior
Most species are very sociable, often breeding in large colonies and wandering about or migrating in flocks, often mingling with storks and herons. Migration is common, especially in species living in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa, where food is highly dependent on seasonal rainfall patterns. Their social behavior extends to relationships between species: mixed flocks are common. As many as seven species have been counted in a roosting area.
In flight, the neck is extended forward, similar to that of storks. During the day, ibises and spoonbills will often leave foraging sites to drink and bathe in freshwater ponds. Preening is common and can take a considerable amount of time.

Feeding ecology and diet
Ibises and spoonbills generally obtain their food in shallow water and on the banks, catching small fish, crustaceans, insects, and miscellaneous other invertebrates. Occasionally, they will feed on the eggs of reptiles or other birds. Feeding in the water is done primarily by the sense of touch provided by the sensitive bill.

Reproductive biology
Trees and bushes are popular nest sites for the species in this family, although a few species build nests on the ground or on cliffs. Males often find a suitable nest site and advertise their presence to females, making a show of pointing their bills in the air, bowing, and other movements. They often snap their bills shut to make a popping sound, and will sometimes pick up a twig and shake it. When a female lands nearby, the male may initially reject her: if he accepts her, they join in a display of preening and bowing. Copulation normally takes place at the nesting site, and the male gathers the nesting materials. Both parents incubate the eggs, and share in the task of gathering and regurgitating food for the hatchlings. Clutch size is two to five eggs. White and blue are the predominant egg colors, and in some species, the eggs have dark spots. The incubation period averages 20–31 days, with the chicks remaining in the nest for a fledgling period of 28–56 days.

[Richprins]

So they are herons!