“Grub Hunters”

In this part of North Carolina, folks call the White Ibis a “grub hunter.”

The bird has a habit of poking around in any grassy area, from the marsh grass of the coastal wetlands to the manicured lawns in front of homes.

That incredible red curved bill is adapted for such probing in soil to find earthworms, marine worms, snails or crabs. They can pinch their “grub” using that red bill like tweezers. It’s sharp enough too for stabbing fish or frogs.

The White Ibis is right at home in a mud flat or an oyster bed.

This bird is not afraid to get dirty.

If nothing else, the White Ibis is a sociable creature. Often seen foraging in groups, they also rest together, bathe together and build nests in trees forming a colony.

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According to Native American folklore, the Ibis is the last form of wildlife to take shelter before a hurricane and the first to reappear after the storm.

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Check these posts about the ibis and other shorebirds:

• Coastal Lawn Ornaments >>
• Long-legged waders in all their glory  (herons and egrets) >>
• Coastal sun-bathers (cormorants and pelicans) >>