The Glossy Ibis looks dark and, well, glossy, from a distance. If they sun shines, it appears iridescent, otherwise a dark brownish-black color. The closeup shows that his head feathers are actually brown and white, and he has a distinct white mark outlining the edges of his beak. Do you notice this from a distance? Usually not. Since I don't have one of those 18 inch, mega-telescopic lenses, I use my converter (Panasonic says it gives the equivalent of 714 mm), set the camera for 8 megapixels, and shoot. When I get home, Photoshop lets me zoom in for those nice head shots, and crop out the excess foliage. I'm content with the results, and really have no desire to carry around 30 pounds of equipment and a tripod every time I go out.The colors to be found in a bird's eye fascinate me too. Most mammals will have brown eyes, and people of course, have a variety of colors. Some bird eyes are a solid dark color, while others are red or yellow, and the pupil stands out. This Tricolor Heron has red eyes, while the Osprey's eyes are yellow as are the Green Heron. I wonder if there are any studies about this difference? Does it improve the vision? Is there some survival factor to red eyes? And how in the world would any scientist ever be able to come up with a reliable answer to these questions? See, birding can broaden your mind!