The ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii) is a bird related to the waders, but sufficiently distinctive to merit its own family Ibidorhynchidae. It is grey with a white belly, red legs and long down-curved bill, and a black face and black breast band. It occurs on the shingle riverbanks of the high plateaux of central Asia and the Himalayas.
Taxonomy
The ibisbill belongs to the order Charadriiformes which also includes the sandpipers, plovers, terns, auks, gulls, skuas and others. In its evolutionary relationships, it appears to be most closely related to a group including the oystercatchers (Haematopodidae), and the avocets and stilts (Recurvirostridae), but sufficiently distinctive to merit its own family, Ibidorhynchidae. It is monotypic, with no subspecies. Hodgson later suggested a new genus name of Clorhynchus for the bird stating that Gould's description of Ibidorhyncha was inaccurate while Vieillot's Erolia had been rejected. The species is named in honour of a Dr. Struthers<!-- contra Jobling's Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names, NOT John Struthers (anatomist) as he was only age 7 at the time the species was described --> who collected specimens of the bird from the Himalayas.
Description
thumb|left|Ibisbill in flight
thumb|River Kosi, outskirts of Jim Corbett National Park, India
The ibisbill is long and is quite unmistakable in appearance. The adult is grey with a white belly, a crimson, long down-curved bill similar to that of the unrelated ibis, and a black face and black breast band. The sexes are similar, but young birds lack the black on the face and breast, and the bill is duller. The bill is long and is slightly longer in females. The legs are greyish purple in the breeding adults and dull sepia in juveniles or greenish in younger or non-breeding adults. The legs of deceased ibisbills change colour to a crimson similar to the bill shade shortly after death. The tarsi is short and reticulated. The ibisbill has three toes, lacking the hind toe. The outer and middle toes are connected by a small, indented web, while the middle and inner toes possess no webbing. The Ibisbill typically weighs and females weigh slightly more than males. In spite of its spectacular appearance it is inconspicuous in its stony environment. The call is a ringing klew-klew similar to that of a greenshank. In flight, its outstretched neck and rounded wings give an ibis-like appearance. typically between , although there are records of the ibisbill breeding as low as .
Breeding
The ibisbill is apparently a monogamous breeder. During the breeding season, the ibisbill is known to run short distances while holding the head down, only standing upright to look at its surroundings. The exact time taken to incubate the eggs is unknown, but both parents share incubation duties.
Feeding
The ibisbill feeds by probing under rocks or gravel on stream beds. It will take a variety of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates including caddisfly and mayfly larvae that hide under boulders in streams, grasshoppers