The American white ibis is a species of bird in the ibis family, found from the mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the United States south through most of the New World tropics. It is a medium-sized bird with an overall white plumage, bright red-orange down-curved bill and long legs, and black wing tips that are usually only visible in flight. Males are larger and have longer bills than females. Crayfish are its preferred food in most regions. During the breeding season, the American white ibis gathers in huge colonies near water. Pairs are predominantly monogamous and both parents care for the young, although males tend to engage in extra-pair copulation with other females to increase their reproductive success. Males have also been found to pirate food from unmated females and juveniles during the breeding season. Human pollution has affected the behavior of the American white ibis via an increase in the concentrations of methylmercury, which is released into the environment from untreated waste. Exposure to methylmercury alters the hormone levels of American white ibis, affecting their mating and nesting behavior and leading to lower reproduction rates.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_white_ibis
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1461:
Ming Chinese general Cao Qin staged a failed coup against the Tianshun Emperor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellion_of_Cao_Qin
1782:
The Bronze Horseman, an equestrian statue of Peter the Great that serves as one of the symbols of Saint Petersburg, Russia, was unveiled. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Horseman
1944:
IBM presented the first program-controlled calculator to Harvard University, after which it became known as the Mark I (pictured). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Mark_I
1970:
Jonathan Jackson kidnapped California Superior Court judge Harold Haley in an attempt to free Jackson's brother George from prison. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marin_County_courthouse_incident
2008:
Georgia launched a large-scale military offensive against the separatist region of South Ossetia, opening the six-day Russo-Georgian War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Georgian_War
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
dressage: An equestrian sport in which the horse and rider perform a test of specific movements in an arena, and are judged on the horse's obedience, acceptance of the bridle and of the rider's aids, gaits, impulsion, and the harmony between horse and rider. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dressage
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
 If the government can round up someone and never be required to explain why, then it's no longer the United States of America as you and I always understood it. Our enemies have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They have made us become like them. --Garrison Keillor https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Garrison_Keillor
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