Farmers Friend

The straw necked ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) is often called the farmers’ friend as it gathers in large flocks to eat insects, particularly grasshoppers.  They are large birds up to about 75cm/30″ long and the male and females look similar. We have never had them on our property, possibly because our guinea fowl are doing such a good job on the grasshoppers.  For the last few days, there have been large flocks of them flying over on their way to the flooded lowland pastures at the foot of the Whicher Range.   As well as insects, they eat frogs, small lizards and other reptiles.  The birds in backyard website describes the difference between this and the Australian white ibis. “When flying, it has a white body and black wings, while the Australian White Ibis has a black head with white body and wings.”