Ibisbill


Ibisbill

 

(Ibidorhyncha struthersii), a bird of the suborder Limicolae. The body is about 41 cm long and reaches a weight of 300 g. The back and lower throat are gray, and there is a black stripe on the breast. The bill is red, and the legs reddish gray. The ibisbill is distributed in the mountains of Middle and Central Asia. In the USSR it is present in the Tien-Shan and the Pamir-Alai at elevations of 1,600 to 3,200 m; in winter it migrates to lower elevations, from 700 to 1,000 m. Ibisbills live in solitary couples along the pebbly banks of mountain rivers. The nest, a pit surrounded by stones, contains four eggs. The ibisbill feeds on small fishes and on insects and other invertebrates.