Two participations in a row in my favourite Hive contest! Let's see if I can continue the trend! :)
For this week's SMAP, the theme remains free; and I'll focus in a special bird, one that was not that common in Portugal a few years ago, and now can be seen in huge groups.
Can you tell which bird am I talking about just by the body shape?
Not yet? How about a closer look?
Yes, there are some seagulls among the large group, but it's the cute dark bird we're going after this time.These photos can already give you a decent idea on how big can these groups get, and these ones are not the biggest by far. If you're still struggling to identify it, here it is:
Glossy ibises are almost unmistakable after you learned to identify them: big dark birds, with a curved beak! Their coloration is dark brown and some green reflexes in the wings; but truth be told, they basically look black from a distance.
You can normally see them in huge bands, and it's quite a show to seem them fly in front of you in such large numbers. They're migratory birds, and supposedly they spend the winter in Africa. I say supposedly, because these photos were taken in late December, so I'm guessing more and more animals are spending the winter here.
You'll find them near water, since frogs and insects make the bulk of their diet. This is a large swampy area not that far from Lisboa, and one of the best places to birdwatch near the capital. Or at least, to be able to see birds in such large quantities: there were also large groups of other species, but I'll let the ibises take the full spotlight on this post.
I don't think I had ever seen them in such large numbers, and being able to take decent photos was just an added bonus.
Juveniles are similar to adults, but the plummage has more white spots on the neck and the coloration is of a lighter brown, so I believe this was a juvenile, born in the Spring. He was slightly isolated: probably wanted the frogs all to himself!
Can't blame him, right? Young ones have more energy requirements, and he even posed for the camera.
I'll likely go back to this place in early Autumn, since now the conditions to birdwatch are not that great; I wonder which species I will find!
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