The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has observed two new bird species nesting in a southern Arkansas wetland that had been restored. While the roseate spoonbill and white-faced ibis have been known to make a trip to the state after breeding elsewhere, this is the first time the birds have chosen to nest here.
New Bird Species Discovered Nesting in Restored Arkansas Wetlands
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A roseate spoonbill feeds its young. It's one of at least 30 spotted in southern Arkansas.
Courtesy / Jami Linder Photography
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This is the first time roseate spoonbills have been found nesting in Arkansas.
Courtesy / Jami Linder Photography
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While the birds are regularly seen in Arkansas, they usually migrate to feed after nesting elsewhere.
Courtesy / Jami Linder Photography
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The private property where the birds are nesting is part of a federal program that takes marginal crop land out of production so that it can be restored to a wetland.
Courtesy / Jami Linder Photography
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The white-faced ibis was also found nesting on the property.
Courtesy / Jami Linder Photography
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About 60 white-faced ibises were seen on the private property.
Courtesy / Jami Linder Photography
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The white-faced ibis is a species that's generally found in the western U.S., so its presence in Arkansas is even more rare.
Courtesy / Jami Linder Photography
