tall brown stork-like bird with red mask

by Eric Bachman Johnson
(Richmond, IL)

I was bicycling near Lake Geneva in southern Wisconsin in late June when I saw a tall brown bird. He (?) had a very striking feature of a red mask around his eyes with a thin line of white trim along the lower edge of the red mask.

I tried to look carefully so I could recognize it when I got home and looked in our Smithsonian Field Guide but I'd like more input. My daughter thinks the bird I'm describing is a Sandhill Crane but I'm not positive.

Comment;
It was likely a Whitefaced Ibis.
Susan
Are there other birds beside the sandhill crane that matches the description I am giving? Sadly no photo

Eric Johnson

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tall brown stork-like bird with red mask

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Jul 16, 2012
 bird ID
by: Eric Johnson

I posted the original query. yesterday I took another bike ride to Lake Geneva Wisc and was on the look out to see if I could find that same bird to get another look and finally spotted him. I did have a camera along but he moved away into the brush but I took a good look. The mask stopped just past his eyes his body was brown but his neck was somewhat silver/grey and his bill was fairly straight. As soon as I got home I looked in our filed guide at the whire-faced ibis and the sandhill crane, definitely the latter. Thanks for the help and it is very gratifying to be able to make the determination.

Eric

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