Leucistic Glossy Ibis, an identification pitfall for Sacred Ibis
At c.14:20 hour on 3 October 2022, an alleged Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus was seen at La Ràpita, Ebre Delta, Montsià, Catalonia. The species is a rarity in the country, besides having been recently considered as a pest species . After some search, on 4 October 2022, Sergi Sales found the ibis which showed a large white body and black neck. However, a careful observation revealed that indeed it was not a Sacred but a leucistic Glossy Ibis ( Plegadis falcinellus ), a frequent species at Ebre delta numbering c.40.000 birds in autumn 2022 (David Bigas pers.comm.), see @sales_sergi tweet below and his original photo. Aquests dies pel Delta de l'Ebre volta un Capó reial mig leucístic que esta donant mal de cap perquè la distribució del clar/fosc coincideix bastant amb el seu parent, l'Ibis sagrat. Podem comparar a les fotografies totes dues espècies.Realment un ocell ben curiós @FundPlegadis pic.twitter.com/sWvKwf6Enp — sergi sales🎗 (@sales_sergi) October 12,...