Andean ibis


The Andean ibis is a species of bird in the family Threskiornithidae. It is found in grassland and fields in western South America. This species was considered a subspecies of the black-faced ibis, and some taxonomic authorities still consider it so.

Description

It has a total length of approximately. The head, neck and lower chest are buffish, the crown and nape are cinnamon, the upperparts and chest-band are grey, the belly and flight feathers are black, and the wing-coverts are whitish. The bill, throat-wattle and bare skin around the eyes are blackish and the legs are red. 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 when compared to the black-faced ibis.

Distribution and status

The Andean ibis is restricted to altitudes of in the Andean highlands of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. It is generally uncommon, and formerly also occurred in Lauca in far northern Chile.