In the 1960s some Australian white ibises were caught in northern Victoria and brought down to southern Victoria, to put into an aviary. They managed to breed some, so some of the offspring were allowed outside the aviary, and wild birds were lured in to breed with them. You've probably already guessed where this is going, haven't you.

By 1980, that small flock had grown to 1600 birds. That's 1600 large birds doing things like begging for food, jabbing people with their long beaks, feeding on and spreading rubbish, and a whole lot of other things that no one expected.

Sydney's Taronga zoo had their own bad experience with these birds. They too, started a colony of them, breeding them and allowing them to roam free in the zoo grounds. It was the first time the birds had bred so close to Sydney, and the ibis seemed to like the idea.

That colony has increased and spread all around Sydney now. In some schools, the teachers train children how not to be intimidated by ibis. Otherwise the birds have been known to run up to the little kids and snatch their sandwiches out of their hands. The birds turn over bins and spread rubbish, hang around cafes, and dominate some of the best nesting spots that might have been used by other species.

They also cause a nuisance for captive animals at wildlife parks. At feeding time the ibis run in and grab the food meant for other animals.

Being a large bird, a flock of them is dangerous around airports, because if a plane hits one it can damage an engine.

They also cause a problem with their droppings. It doesn't take a science degree to figure out that big birds make big droppings. Where lots of ibis leave their droppings in public places, those areas can become unhealthy for people.

How can you recognise them?
It's not difficult. They're a fairly big bird (about 70 cm long) and they are almost entirely white, with a black head and neck and a long curved beak. The pictures on this web page should make them pretty easy to identify.

Where do you find them?
These birds are mainly found in eastern and northern Australia. They like to hang around in swamps, lagoons, grassy areas, parks and rubbish tips.