Appearance

The Bare-faced Ibis (or Whispering Ibis) is a long-legged wader, with a long decurved bill, found in South America mostly in swamps, pastures, marshes or rice fields located in both tropical and temperate regions. Despite being one the most common species of ibises in many areas and having a large distribution range, much information about the species' life history is lacking and it is surprisingly poorly known. The Bare-faced Ibis feeds mostly on small beetles, crustaceans, insects, and other small prey. The species has dark plumage, and is readily distinguished from other species of ibises by its red bare face.

A similar species whose distribution overlaps that of the Bare-faced Ibis is the Sharp-tailed (or Long-tailed) Ibis (Cercibis oxycerca), which can also be found in marshy areas and streams of eastern Colombia, western Venezuela, southwestern Guyana, and western Amazonian Brazil. Both species have similar coloration and body proportions, but differ in that C. oxycerca exhibits an additional blue-gray mark on its face, is larger and has a longer tail. When coloration of P. infuscatus is not clearly observed, it may be confused with Plegadis falcinellus (Glossy Ibis) because of their similar body shape, but P. falcinellus lacks the red bare skin and legs.

Decurved bill pinkish to reddish brown. Bare face with red facial skin. Plumage is entirely bronzy greenish black. Iris reddish-brown. Tarsus red-brown in P. infuscatus berlepschi and red-orange in P.infuscatus infuscatus and P. infuscatus nudifrons.

Partial pre-breeding molt and a complete post-breeding molt (Hancock et al. 1992).

 P. infuscatus has a red bare face.

Medium-large sized; total length 48-51 cm (Hilty and Brown 1986).