According to urban mythology, Sydney’s Sacred Ibis are actually a scary mutation of the seagull.
The story goes that over succeeding generations, one strain of gull became larger, more aggressive, and far more athletic, until…..voila!;
Instead of lolling about at the Sydney Cricket Ground as seagulls do, ibis roam the city’s parks mugging defenseless tourists. Some say the curve in their beaks is the result of constant entanglements with the straps of Nikon cameras.
They are always hungry, and oddly enough those beaks have evolved to the length of six inches, the exact depth of a MacDonalds’ fries packet. Fast food is definitely their favourite, but the old-fashioned packed lunch in a paper bag is always scoffed rather than scoffed at.
Here is an old boy enjoying dinner out in Hyde Park. As you can see, tying up your trash is no defence against a bird with a beak like a bloomin’ bayonet.
There is a lot of prejudice against urban ibis. They are despised, and labelled as dumpster divers and flying rats. The jokes and humiliations are endless.
Sometimes confrontations between the birds and other Sydneysiders reach crisis point;
No wonder a few urban ibis have become political agitators. I spotted one door knocking around the city to demand a fair go.
Ibis spend a lot of time walking about and snacking. Just as well really, because when they take to the air there can be awful consequences. I have cropped the photo below out of respect for the feathered victim, and for my readers’ feelings.
Despite such tragic incidents, the ibis population continues to thrive. The birds build a rather unruly nest of stick in a tree.
Of course baby ibis are cute..well sort of.
When they get older they trail around after mum squawking, ‘I want fries….I want fries!’ Eventually the little blighters wear her down.
In their own minds, these big birds are the kings of the city.
I think the fellow below was being employed by the Botanical Gardens as mascot for it’s current exhibition on carnivorous plants. He was standing at the entrance as ‘click bait’.
For those who are part of the Ibis Appreciation Society, here is the perfect gift, courtesy of my fellow bird lover, Evie Hanlon. I would urge a little caution about carrying it through a Sydney park though.
You know, despite all I have written, I wouldn’t worry too much about Mr Ibis. There is a far more alarming urban bird in Sydney. Ever heard of the Australian Brush Turkey??
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I smiled all the way through your observations and write up. Great piece. ‘Impressed’ with the picture of the casualty and the plane!
The poor old ibis is much maligned, Marcia. I find them quite entertaining, but I might change my mind if one steals my chips!
On a driving tour up the southern coast of Queensland, I saw urban ibises scavenging around the feet of tourists in an open air restaurant. They were everywhere. I felt sorry for them as most people chased them away or even used physical actions to move them on. Maybe if they had had feeding stations further away from the public where people could leave their scraps it may have been cleaner or more hygienic. Not only were there Ibises, but they must have attracted farmyard ducks and other bird life. Now, anyone with a farmyard background would know how awful it is to tramp on top of where a duck has released its waste products. I’m in two minds about the plight of feeding urban ibises by leaving our scraps in easily accessed bins for them, and thus, to continue in their self-destruction of their digestive tracts.
It’s a real dilemma, Heather. They belong in the inland wetlands, but climate change and other factors have brought them into towns and cities. Experts say they are thriving on their higher protein diet, but it doesn’t seem healthy for them in the long term. They are also a big problem on land-fill rubbish sites.
I love a good urban myth, Pauline. Very entertaining story, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, Brendan.