People Are Discovering A ‘Deluxe’ Bin Chicken Species Exists In Australia

The white ibis, aka the humble bin chicken, is a massive icon in Australia.

Known for it's mildly unsettling, tiny, black head; it's long, thin beak; and it's white and black feathered body, the bin chicken is known far and wide Down Under.

But there is another species of the bird that exists in Australia and people have been blown away.

Dubbed the straw-necked ibis, it's largely similar in shape and appearance to its white counterpart except for one shimmering difference.

James Niland (Creative Commons)

The Threskiornis spinicollis has an iridescent, multicoloured sheen when it stands in the sunlight.

After being posted on social media, many have declared this bird to be the 'deluxe' bin chicken.

Applications are now open for a better nickname. Some people have suggested 'Bling Chicken', 'Glitter Chick' or 'Glowing Tip Turkey'.

Many have been blown away by the discovery of the species, with one person writing: "Damn wonder how many bins they needed to forage in to unlock that skin!"

cuatrok77 (Flickr)

Another added: "I absolutely love how they have both iridescence and barring on their feathers. It's a really cool visual effect. These dudes are a lot cooler than your standard bin chicken."

A third said: "You unlock this skin after you slurp up five thousand binjuice boogers."

Straw-necked ibises get their name from the type of feathers that grow out of the bird's neck. They're found throughout Australia except for Western Australia, South Australia and south-west Tasmania.

Researchers have also found them on Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and Indonesia and New Guinea.

Jean and Fred (Flickr)

Birdwatchers will be able to find them inhabiting shallow freshwater wetlands, cultivated pastures, edges of swamps and lagoons, and wet or dry grasslands. But don't expect to see them in the same place again and again as they are an extremely nomadic species.

Thankfully for the straw-necked ibises, they haven't adapted to the big city lifestyle like the white ibis has.

They only eat aquatic insects, molluscs, frogs, and other food that can be found on the surface of water. When they're away from the water, they can eat grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, small lizards, skinks, and other small reptiles.

All hail the Bling Chicken!

Topics: News, Animals, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie