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Re: Glossy Ibis decline



Yes, Glossy Ibises have declined in NC over the past few decades. But,
unlike with most other breeders (such as Neotropical migrating
songbirds), this decline might not be a global one. Rather, Glossies
have shifted their population farther northward in recent years,
increasing in states to our north, such as New Jersey. My take is that
they are outcompeted for nesting spots in rookeries by the more
agressive White Ibis, which formerly nested in NC only at Battery Island
but now breeds northward to at least Virginia. (White Ibises are also
moving northward, though I don't see a decrease in NC.) Glossies are
fairly "wimpy" as nesters, easily getting out-competed by other species
for nesting sites, and easily getting wiped out by bad weather. White
Ibises are "tough as nails", and it takes a lot of competition,
predation, or weather to knock them out.

So -- habitat for Glossies in NC doesn't seem to have been lost over the
years so much as the population on the Atlantic coast has shifted more
to the north, maybe because of pressure from the White Ibis (or other
wading birds). Glossies are now uncommon, and I certainly don't see
nearly the numbers, such as at Bodie-Pea Islands, that I did a few
decades ago.

Harry LeGrand

Shantanu Phukan wrote:
> 
> Yesterday afternoon I got permission from The Food Lion at Emerald Isle to
> clmb up to the roof and to take a census on the Least Tern breeding colony
> that Alan Johnston has reported on in the past. So both Alan and I went up
> to the roof and were edified to find not the fifty or so Least Terns that
> Alan had estimated earlier, but a whopping 320. I dont mean 320 pairs but
> rather individuals. Some of these 320 were part of a pair since they were
> feeding each other fish. The eggs, which were a brownish grey with brown
> speckles were laid in the gravel on the roof and had not as yet hatched.
> Every once in a while laughihg Gulls would fly over and though they did
> not seem intent on grabbing the eggs, the roosting terns would nonetheless
> spook and fly up in the air in a swarm. Very Bracing.
> 
> On my way back from Emerald Isle I stopped at Fort Fisher today and was
> further edified to find a flock of seven beautiful Glossy Ibises feeding
> by the Basin Trail. I mention this because in four years of going to Ft
> Fisher I have only seen Glossies there once before and that was alone
> individual. Does anyone know if Glossies are declining in North Carolina,
> my impression is that they are rather rare.
> 
> Shantanu Phukan
> 
> *****************************************************
> SHANTANU PHUKAN
> Lecturer in Urdu-Hindi & Indian Literature
> University of N. Carolina, Chapel Hill
> Curriculum in Asian Studies
> Alumni Hall 413C
> Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599
> 
> phukan@email.unc.edu
> 919-962-6825
> *****************************************************

-- 
Harry LeGrand
NC Natural Heritage Program
DENR   Office of Conservation and Community Affairs
1615 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1615
(919) 715-8687 (work)
FAX: 919-715-3085
e-mail: harry.legrand@ncmail.net