Ibisbill

The Ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii) is one of the most distinctive waders in the world — the sole member of its family, Ibidorhynchidae. It has a long, decurved crimson bill, a black face and breast-band, and blue-grey plumage. It inhabits shingle beds and braided river channels at high altitudes (1,500–4,400 m) across the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the Pamirs, and the mountains of Central Asia and western China. It feeds by probing under large pebbles with its curved bill, extracting aquatic invertebrates. The species is non-migratory or undertakes short altitudinal movements in winter, descending to lower-elevation river valleys. The global population is poorly known but estimated at 5,000–15,000 individuals.