All -
I am convinced that our field observations / field marks leading to the
determination of "hybrid / not-hybrid" for a lot of species (ibises, titmice,
etc.) are nothing more than guesses.
At the TOS Meeting in El Paso, a woman (I cannot find her name right now) gave
a talk about hybridization amongst the titmice (Tufted and Black-crested) and
turned everything upside-down.
Her biggest bombshell was that genetic testing showed that, more often than
not, the titmice that "looked" like hybrids were actually most often cleanly
one species or the other, and that most of the birds that actually WERE hybrids
fit the visual cues for either "pure" Tufted or Black-crested.
That was when I swore off using the "H-word" for similar-appearing species.
I suspect that the dark ibises would show similar traits. Plus, I have always
been leery of using soft-body-part color as a reliable indicator of anything -
general health of a bird or diet can influence colors of beaks, legs, facial
skin, etc. I have a dandy photo of an orange-billed and -legged Laughing Gull
as proof of that.
Clay Taylor
TOS Life Member
Calallen (Corpus Christi) TX
Clay.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
401-965-9064
-----Original Message-----
From: texbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:texbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On ;
Behalf Of Brush Freeman
Sent: Monday, May 8, 2017 12:59 PM
To: FCollins@xxxxxxxx
Cc: dawgler@xxxxxxxxx; texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [texbirds] Re: Glossy/White-faced Ibis hybrid
...
8Fred< In the paper I cited, you might look at some of the hybrids....There are
some Glossys I doubt I could define as hybrids given the powder blue
and all the other traits. Especially not from afar. I don't know how
some of these were determined to be hybrids, but Donna said there was genetic
testing done on similar individuals.....I countered, tongue in cheek basically,
then how can we know that any of our GLIBs are "clean"
On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 12:18 PM, Collins, Fred (Commissioner Pct. 3) <
FCollins@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
I would agree with Joseph Kennedy on this bird and would call it a
White-faced Ibis but know too it could possibly be a hybrid. But the
two ibis are usually not in high condition. Instead they are more
typically in fading breeding condition and hence not as clear cut as I
would feel comfortable identifying. People identify and post pictures
more often than not of birds that to me are not distinguishable. I use
the Plegadis option often on checklist.
Hybrids are rare and a non-breeder in less than healthy condition
might have its reds turn brown or gray. That is likely a common
occurrence. So the most likely case would be for the most likely ibis.
Generally if I am persistent this time of year I can find a Glossy or
two on the Katy Prairie if I can find many Ibis at all. They are
usually by themselves and usually in such good condition that their
identification is straight forward; pure blue face, blue legs with
perhaps reddish knees and a sharp thin bluish-whitish facial outline.
Fred Collins, Director
Kleb Woods Nature Center
20303 Draper Road, Tomball TX 77377
281-357-5324
Harris County Precinct 3
Steve Radack Commissioner
www.pct3.com
-----Original Message-----
From: texbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:texbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Dennis Shepler
Sent: Monday, May 08, 2017 6:49 AM
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [texbirds] Glossy/White-faced Ibis hybrid
Howdy Texbirders,
Glad the photo issues regarding the Plegadis Ibis at Lafitte's Cove
have been discussed and "resolved". Based on my observations and
photos, I believed that the bird in question is a hybrid
Glossy/White-faced Ibis. I wrote the following of the Real Texbird facebook
site:
"After hearing of the sighting of a Glossy Ibis at Lafitte's Cove, I
went down this morning to search for the Glossy. The only dark
(Pelagadis spp.) ibis I found that might fit the description of a
Glossy Ibis is shown in the following pictures. I think this bird is a
hybrid Glossy/White-faced. I would appreciate comments from the
community. The bird pictured has what appears to be a "reddish" (not
dark) iris, more gray than brown in the bill and reddish in the area
of the tibiotarsus-tarsometatarsus joint (the "ankle"). Light plays an
important role in these photos and others may have photos of the
"Glossy" seen that indicate that there was a pure Glossy Ibis present
at Lafitte's. Glossy Ibis is a rare bird on the Texas coast and is
known to hybridize with White-faced Ibis. Thanks for your comments regarding
the bird pictured here."
Here is a link to photos that show, I think, the field marks
referenced in my statement:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/olddawgler/33687363244/in/dateposted-fam
ily/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/olddawgler/34400133061/in/dateposted-fam
ily/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/olddawgler/33687364574/in/dateposted-fam
ily/
Comments welcome and you all have my permission to use the photos.
Dennis
West Houston
Harris County
--
W. Dennis Shepler
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