With occurrence of Glossy Ibis in Oklahoma came hybridization. This series depicts some of the variation, particularly of hybrids. The photos in this gallery are ordered largely by plumage characteristics from Glossy Ibis, hybrids looking most like Glossy, intermediate hybrids, hybrids looking most like White-faceds, then White-faced Ibises. The end of this series contains birds more difficult to assign.

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH GROUP:
Glossy Ibises have a dark eye and with dark facial skin bordered by pale blue lines that do not go behind the eye. No feathering around the facial skin is white or pale.
White-faced Ibises have red eyes and red to maroon facial skin, sometimes with paler red to pink borders, and with eyelid red (including behind eye). Feathering around the facial skin is white in breeding plumage.
Hybrids generally show plum to purpley patches in facial skin, more purpley border lines to facial skin that can circle behind eye, show some red to rufous tones in the eye, and have some white to paler feathering bordering the facial skin. One hybrid in this series has more white head-feathering than the typical White-faced Ibis.
This series was taken at Hackberry Flat WMA in sw. Oklahoma on 1 May 2010. There were about 400 ibises present including 6 Glossy Ibises and at least 5-6 hybrids (the rest were White-faced).