SW Florida features an abundance of flamboyant and interesting bird life. Herons, egrets, vultures, finches, woodpeckers, swallowtail kites, cardinals, blue birds, wrens, blue jays, doves, ducks, hawks and eagles: the variety seems endless and the avian behaviors fascinating.

Take the ibis–easy to identify with its snowy feathers, long neck, curved beak and stilt-like pink legs. They travel in packs and appear to spend their days noshing and napping. Like children.

My attention is always drawn to flocks of ibis. Formerly known as a sacred bird in Egypt, an ibis doesn’t appear regal enough or smart enough to be worthy of such an honor.

White feathered soldiers strut on parade, skinny legs goose-stepping by the lake or across the parking lots, sometimes dozing in the trees on sultry afternoons. While eating, they’re at their most active, especially when one veers off from the corps and begins to peck in pursuit of an invisible bug. The rest of the unit chases after their AWOL comrade in the belief that he’s on the trail of something good.

It’s just ibis–and human–nature, to assume someone else is on the brink of discovery of amazing riches and to pursue them, desperate to unearth the treasure first.