Thursday, July 25, 2013

Cambodia White Shouldered Ibis



This landscape can offer what these rare birds need –
especially water pools in the forests © WWF-Cambodia
The White-shouldered Ibis occurs in lakes, pools, marshes and slow-flowing rivers in open lowland forest. It also inhabits sparsely wooded, dry or wet grasslands and wide rivers with sand and gravel bars.
Adults are typically 75–85 cm long, dark plumaged, with a distinctive pale collar which at close range appears bluish. The bald head is black, the legs are red, and it has a whitish patch on the inner forewing, which gives the bird its name.

Due to small population size and ongoing habitat loss through logging of lowland forests and drainage of wetlands for agriculture, the White-shouldered Ibis is evaluated as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The current world population was estimated to be less than 250, possibly as low as 49, although a 2009 survey of the species has counted 310 individuals.[2] In 2010 a record 429 was found in Cambodia, of which more than 170 birds in Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary. This site is now the second most important place in the world for this species. With a known population of over 200ex western Siem Pang IBA is the first.

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