Preliminary results on our ibis community structure based off citizen science data is here!
What we see is that communities are quite distinct from one another, although there seem to be some individuals that bridge them together! Given how many ibises there are, it was lucky for us to detect that!

🪶 New map, new questions: I am making an attempt at using community scientists' photos to link movement with breeding status. Here is what I am learning so far:

That's where the community scientists' submissions come into play: likely because of their asynchronous breeding, ibises have developed a mean to communicate to potential partners about their status. Individuals that are ready to mingle develop a vivid red bill.

To your left, what a White Ibis wing typically looks like: white feathers with black tip only for the last primaries. To your right, a special individual captured last winter. We captured over 500 birds for this project over almost 2 decades and had never seen that! #ornithology #birds #biodiversity

Starting a VERY low-budget community science project on White Ibises was a bold move considering the scale of their movement, but it paid off! All of our sightings outside of capture sites came from community scientists, who found our birds as far as Orlando and Tampa!

Hi! I am Doreen, a PhD student working on urban adaptation in White Ibises. My studies incorporate genetics, conservation, behavior, and a community science project that involves many passionate birders! Have you seen my tagged ibises? Use the link in bio to report your sighting!
pic:Neelya Eiram