Australian White Ibis - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

It was initially described by Georges Cuvier in 1829 as Ibis molucca. It is considered part of a superspecies complex with the Sacred Ibis (T. aethiopicus) of Africa, and the Black-headed Ibis (T. melanocephalus) of Asia. Its status in the complex has vacillated over the years. Many older guidebooks referred to the bird as a species T. molucca, until a comprehensive review of plumage patterns by Holyoak in 1970. Holyoak noted the three species' similarities and that the Australian taxon resembled T. aethiopicus in adult plumage and T. melanocephalus in juvenile plumage. He proposed they all be considered part of a single species T. aethiopicus. This was generally accepted by the scientific community until Lowe and Richards's assessment of plumage in 1991. They again recommended the recognition of molucca at species level. This was followed by chromosome study which highlighted each of the three species having a different karyotype. The Australian White Ibis has been considered a full species by most authorities since then.

Alternate colloquial names include "Dump Chook" or "Tip Turkey", from its habit of rummaging in garbage, and "Sheep-bird". It was known as Mardungurra among the Yindjibarndi people of the central and western Pilbara.