What’s so weird about this bird? Well for one it is sacred. Yes it is the sacred Ibis of Iraq. But even weirder, it was thought to be extinct after Saddam Husein drained the southern swamps, their only known habitat.

http://www.birdersworld.com/brd/default.aspx?c=a&id=743

While we are on the weird birds of Iraq travelogue:

http://www.lauraerickson.com/bird/Places/Iraq/IraqBirdsGallery.html

  Parakeet with large tumor.

Below is the more traditional Birds of Iraq.

Finally, a quiz for points…which one is the male and which one is the female Iraqi Barn Owl?