Where do ibis actually live?

August 20, 2024 3:01 AM

Where do Australian white ibis (Threskiornis molucca) actually live? Where do bin chickens go when they leave the bin? It turns out, pretty far away! This is a 5 minute video from the Australian documentary series, The Secret Lives Of Our Urban Birds.

Historically rare in urban areas, the Australian white ibis has established in urban areas of the east coast in increasing numbers since the late 1970s; it is now commonly seen in Wollongong, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Townsville. In recent years, the bird has also become increasingly common in Perth, Western Australia, and surrounding towns in south-western Australia.

Due to its increasing presence in the urban environment and its habit of rummaging in garbage, the species has acquired a variety of colloquial names such as "tip turkey" and "bin chicken", and in recent years has become an icon of Australia's popular culture, regarded with glee by some and passionate revulsion by others.

posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (11 comments total)

🌴

neat to learn about the Feather Map of Australia
posted by HearHere at 4:14 AM on August 20 [1 favorite]

This is one of the main hangouts near me. It's about 5km from my house and slightly less than that from Perth's CBD.
posted by krisjohn at 4:51 AM on August 20 [1 favorite]

Reminds me of "why do you never see baby pigeons?" (The answer is that they don't leave the nest until they are full sized with adult feathers. Side note: Baby pigeons are adorably hideous.)
posted by AlSweigart at 7:36 AM on August 20 [1 favorite]

Hey, I've seen the Bluey episode, I know what's up.
posted by atomicstone at 8:57 AM on August 20 [2 favorites]

Aw, man, this made me miss Sydney so much! I was enchanted by the bin chickens whenever I walked through the Royal Botanic Gardens and Hyde Park. My Australian friends thought I was loony, but of course they were the same over deer and raccoons in the USA.

This is not the only species of ibis in Australia! I saw a glossy ibis near Broome. People thought I was loony for photographing that too!
posted by rednikki at 9:27 AM on August 20

They're so much more regal than what I, a born on the west coast individual, think of bird pests. The internet says seagulls have bred on every continent, including Antarctica. But "bin chickens" are so much prettier. And have never stolen my bagel from MY hand.
posted by atomicstone at 10:01 AM on August 20

In awe at "Bin Chicken". When I become benevolent dictator of the world, Australia will be in charge of naming new stuff.
posted by BCMagee at 11:10 AM on August 20

A song about birds (which I thought had its own FPP, but it seems like the first link here might be this comment in a post about a fake Planet Earth segment about ibises)
posted by msbrauer at 11:14 AM on August 20 [1 favorite]

In awe at "Bin Chicken". When I become benevolent dictator of the world, Australia will be in charge of naming new stuff.
Australia has decided it liked Bin Chicken so much it has evolved equivalent names for many other birds:
Bin Chicken = White Ibis
Beach Chicken = Seagull
Swoopy Chicken = Magpie (aka Swoopy Boi)
Park Chicken = Pigeon
Dinosaur Chicken = Cassowary
Giggle Chicken = Kookaburra
... and many more. Some names are still disputed. Australian etymological processes are sometimes ... not fully matured.
posted by dg at 9:12 PM on August 20 [1 favorite]

Don't forget Chooks in Dinner Suits = Little Penguins
posted by tavella at 9:17 PM on August 20

We have white ibis (wtf is the plural?) in the US, but we think they're regal. I love that they are trash birds elsewhere.
posted by atomicstone at 10:20 AM on August 29