Adult white ibis are mostly white with black tipped wings, a red face, red legs, and a very distinct downcurved, pink bill which is used to probe the ground for food while foraging.

It's that beautiful and distinctive coral colored bill that caught my attention for this piece. That upward turned bill and this magical pose during preening that reminded me of a model striking a pose during a photo shoot..

The main threat to the white ibis is the loss of wetland habitat due to the human development of coastal areas and their freshwater feeding areas.  The alteration of wetlands, pollution, and saltwater influxes are other habitat threats as these practices degrade the quality of wetlands and decrease the availability of prey.