That’s their nickname because they are partial to a bin or two. White Ibises are native to Oz and have adapted very well to city life. Partly, it has to be said, because their natural habitats of marshes and wetlands are shrinking. You might think I was in the country when I took these photos but it is right bang in Queen St Mall ( main shopping drag ) where I saw them frolicking in the water today.When you get a chance to see them close up they are something strangely outlandish.

From September to April the males look for a partner. The male offers a female a twig and if she accepts it … well they are engaged and they go off and start building a nest together.They are monogamous.They have 2-3 eggs and raise the clutch. They have a very unattractive honk.

You can’t help admiring their adaptability and their enjoyment of the water here today. A yellow feather suggests this one is on the lookout for a mate possibly…

Now where did I see a twig in the Mall ??