Puna Ibis

Plegadis ridgwayi (Allen, JA, 1876)

Puna Ibis Plegadis ridgwayi is a bird of the high Andes in Peru, northern Chile and north-west Argentina. It belongs to the ibis and spoonbill family and is closely tied to wetlands, including marshes, swamps, lagoons and shallow lakes, with many birds using areas between 3,000 and 4,500 metres. It also occurs at lower levels along the coast. The species is a social colonial nester, placing its nests in tall vegetation, often with other waterbirds. Its long red bill is used to probe mud and water for food.

Order

Pelecaniformes

Family

Threskiornithidae — Ibises, Spoonbills

Breeding range

South America: n Peru to n Chile and nw Argentina