The ecology of the white ibis in southern Florida, a regional study
Kushlan JA. 1974. The ecology of the white ibis in southern Florida, a regional study. University of Miami
The White Ibis is the most abundant wading bird in southern Florida. The number of White Ibises nesting during the 1971-73 study varied from 1650 in a drought year to 62,300. Three ecological groups of colonies, located in lakes, in the Everglades, and along the coast contained about 22 percent, 76 percent and one percent of the population respectively. Nesting is physiologically possible by March and thus usually occurs during the spring dry season. Under unfavorable conditions nesting may be delayed to as late as September. Clutch size averaged 2.33 ± 0.03 but differed among some colonies. Asynchronous hatching and differential mortality of siblings resulted in the fledging of 1.04 young per nest. Nestlings showed differential development of body parts and fledged below adult size.