Gallery Spotlight
WADING IBIS IN MANGROVES
By Kim B. Parrish
© 2020 – 48 x 30” Oil on Canvas
AMERICAN WHITE IBIS
Eudocimus albus
Protected by U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act
In 1874, the British author A. C. Chambers wrote a book titled, “Beauty in common things.” White ibis are certainly common here in Florida, but somehow they still look unusual and exotic to me — with their crazy, curved pink beaks and pink legs. A gregarious species, they usually travel in large flocks, moving from one feeding ground to the next. I didn’t realize until recently that they actually have bright blue eyes.
Young birds are not white, but brown in color for the first 2 years. This once caused the famous naturalist Catesby to mistakenly categorize them as the “brown curlew.” But White Ibis are in a different family—and in a world of struggling species, they are more of a success story—probably due to their flexible nature of adapting to just about any moist habitat in our state.
My original wading ibis painting, “Wading Ibis in Mangroves” is 48 x 30 inches on canvas, portraying a small group exploring the shallows of a coastal estuary. Thanks for your interest in my work, and I hope my artwork inspires you to learn more about Florida’s wildlife.