On the Wings of Climate Change: Why the White Ibis Started Flocking Here
White Ibis
Summer at the shore is a time of frenetic activity as travelers from hither and yon journey here to soak up the South Jersey sunshine. Over the last several years, another group of visitors has joined in from afar – but they’re not using the roads. Perhaps you’ve seen them soaring over Seven Mile Beach, foraging within the verdant salt marsh grasses, or bathing in the freshwater pools nestled in the Avalon high dunes – exotic white birds, wings fringed in black, reddish bills strongly downcurved from base to tip in a graceful arc, and eyes that rival Sinatra’s. We’ve been fielding calls and messages about them since early spring, some from people who have lived in the area for decades. Many are simply looking for an ID, while those who know them wonder why they’re here now.
In an area renowned for hosting avian oddities from across – and sometimes out of – the country, these are still reasonable questions. White ibis – for that is what they are – are creatures of the Southern coast. Common in wetlands, estuaries, and mangrove swamps from North Carolina to Florida and around the Gulf Coast down through Texas, these long-legged waders were seldom seen this far north, and never in large numbers: Until recently, a single white ibis in Cape May County was an event of some note, drawing in birders from near and far to catch a glimpse of this rarity.
In 2019, everything began to change. That year, people around the county reported sightings of a dozen white ibis or more at once (on an August evening, we had 14 at the institute). A year later, they nested in New Jersey for the first time in the state’s history. The site – a well-known rookery for several other wading bird species at the Ocean City Welcome Center (including great egrets, glossy ibis, and both yellow- and black-crowned night herons) – produced four nests, three of which were successful. The ibis came roaring back in 2021, establishing multiple nests across the rookery, raising at least 43 young, and putting to rest the idea that 2020 was a fluke.
This year, the rookery is once again alive with the raucous squawks of white ibis. The birds have taken up residence there in force, establishing more than 70 active nests, but they’ve also expanded beyond the confines of Ocean City, moving south onto Seven Mile Beach. While no one’s found a second rookery yet, the birds have been seen by many around Avalon in staggering numbers: upwards of 350 birds foraging in the marshes or roosting in the remnants of native Atlantic maritime forests. Seemingly, the ibis are finding a home here. The question is, why now?
Range expansion among birds is nothing new. Several species common to the mid-Atlantic or Northeast didn’t start out that way: Cardinals and mockingbirds pushed north around the turn of the 20th century, Carolina wrens and glossy ibis a few decades later, and red-bellied woodpeckers followed in the second half of the century. The most extraordinary example is the humble cattle egret, which arrived in South America from Africa in the late 1800s and advanced steadily northward throughout the 1900s. It established a breeding population in Florida by 1953, and continued up the coast of North America from there.
Exploring a new food source, taking advantage of favorably changed conditions, escaping major habitat disruption – all have been put forth as potential explanations, and any one might be behind the white ibis’ northern charge. The biggest difference is the time frame: While the other expansions played out over decades, South Jersey’s white ibis went from occasional rarities to regular breeders in just a few years. Virginia experienced a longer though even more dramatic boom: White ibis exploded from 77 breeding pairs in 2003 to more than 1,700 in 2018. Again, why?
Both habitat and food are ample in the bird’s traditional range; the only factor left that operates at a similar pace to their rapid expansion is climate change. We’ve seen evidence of climate change in the increasingly frequent flooding of the marshes around us, in the intensity of coastal storms and the concomitant damage to our beaches and shorelines. Now, through the ibis, we seem to be getting a bird’s-eye view of climate change in action.
Using a combination of tens of millions of bird observations and scientifically rigorous climate modeling, the National Audubon Society has created climate change impact projections for nearly 400 North American bird species. Under all warming scenarios, white ibis experience significant range gains, moving farther north. As they do so, the established residents will have to adjust and make room for these newcomers. If the Ocean City rookery is any example, it can work; right now, there seems to be enough habitat to go around – at least, for most. But some birds that breed there in smaller numbers may be pushed to the fringes or forced out entirely, as the white ibis, in their drive to survive, begin to take advantage of this rapidly changing world.
At its core, the ibis’ story is one of adaptation – and one of the lessons we’ve learned over the last couple of years is that nature is both adaptable and resilient. The world can adjust to change, as long as we give it the time and space to do so. With respect to adaptability, the greatest challenge that climate change poses is the speed at which it’s happening, and a worrying unknown is whether species can keep up.
We have a choice before us: Offer nature the time she needs and make room for all the passengers on this planet … or not. It is entirely up to us. Either way, it’s too late for us to go back – but we still have time to decide how we move forward. At The Wetlands Institute, it’s in our nature to do so using the best science to inform conservation and with respect for all our fellow travelers with whom we share this fragile Earth – and we invite you to join us. With commitment, dedication, and will – and most importantly, with your help – together we can make a difference.
The Wetlands Institute is dedicated to studying and preserving our coastal ecosystem, teaching people about the need to protect it, and inspiring people to make lifelong connections to nature and the world around them. If you would like to learn more about our work, come in for a visit. You can also surf over to our website at wetlandsinstitute.org, where you’ll find a wealth of information about our ongoing research and conservation efforts, our education programming, and our special events – as well as ways you can lend your support to help us fulfill our mission. And for the latest news and updates, follow us on our social media channels.
2022 Summer Activities
FREE WITH ADMISSION THROUGH LABOR DAY:
Hooked on Fishing - Saturday
Crabbing at the Dock - Sunday
Salt Marsh Safari - Daily
Creature Feature - Monday and Friday
Catch o’ the Day - Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Aquarium Feeding - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Totally Turtle Tuesdays, A Night at the Aquarium (Wednesdays) and Horseshoe Crabmania Thursdays - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings
Seashell Sunday - Sunday
Dune and Beach Exploration – Wednesday, sponsored by the Avalon Free Public Library
ADDITIONAL FEES APPLY:
Back-Bay Birding and Wildlife Cruise - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Back-Bay Kayaking - Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Evening Back-Bay Kayaking - Wednesday and Thursday
For details or to make a reservation, visit wetlandsinstitute.org/events or call 609-368-1211