Mmm . . . Worms

White-faced Ibis -- Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, ISO: 1000, f/5.6, 1/2000s

The things some animals eat . . .

Do you ever wonder what a worm tastes like to a bird?  Do their minds give the same feedback to them that our minds give to prime rib or barbecue pork or does a worm just taste like a worm to them?  If they're not getting the prime rib experience, I sure hope worms are an acquired taste.  What a horrible existence to have to eat grubby old worms all day if all you taste is grubby old worms.

White-faced Ibis

White-faced Ibis -- Merced National Wildlife Refuge, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/2000s, f/5.6, ISO: 640

I took this photo last week on the auto tour at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge.  This ibis was right next to the road and paid no attention to me as I pulled up to take pictures.

What's the plural of ibis?  Ibises?  Ibii?  Just plain old Ibis?  The spell check is letting me get away with ibises, so that's what I'm going with.

I've seen plenty of ibises on these auto tours.  I've never gotten this close, though.  What a strange collection of colors and patterns.  It's hard to imagine it could all go together on a single bird.  The "white-faced" part of their name comes from their breeding plumage, which has more red in their chest and neck and obviously white on their face.  I had to look that up, I've never actually seen one with a white face.