The Story
I photographed this Bare-faced Ibis (Phimosus infuscatus) at Reserva Natural El Encanto de Guanapalo in Casanare, Colombia. The Bare-faced Ibis is usually seen in large flocks, alone or with other species. It breeds in small colonies. It lives in open areas such as wet meadows, savannas, marshes and rice fields. El Encanto de Guanapalo brings together three ranches, Mata de Palma, Altamira and Montana, in a reserve of almost 9,000 hectares of flooded savanna and gallery forest in San Luis de Palenque. IUCN lists the Bare-faced Ibis as Least Concern, with a stable population.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100. The families who run its ranches work to keep the savanna from being cleared, burned or plowed, and to keep llanero culture alive for the next generation.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Bare-faced Ibis (Phimosus infuscatus) belongs to the family Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2025), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List