IN Britain we regard the street pigeon as a health hazard but Australia's "Devil Bird" is the ibis which is now found in large numbers.

In some parts of the world the Ibis is so rare that it is regarded as a sacred bird.

The Australian ibis has a long probing bill and has taken to nesting in and around municipal rubbish dumps. It is from these areas that the bird pick up substantial doses of bacteria and other pathogens. They then fly into the tourist areas and steal food from the cafes and outdoor fast food outlets. The authorities are becoming increasingly worried by escalating numbers of people being affected by food poisoning. They are not sure how to tackle this problem and it really is a case of "watch this space."

Having said all that the ibis is indeed an attractive bird.