Binghamton Zoo Animals

Sacred Ibis

(Threskiornis aethiopicus)
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Threskiornithidae
Genus: Threskiornis
Species: Threskiornis aethiopicus

HABITAT AND RANGE: Sacred Ibises live in large colonies near waterways, shores, and marshes throughout Africa. Their range begins south of the Sahara and extends to Senegal in the west, Ethiopia in the east, and down to the southern coast. They may also be found in some areas of southern Asia.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: The body is white with distinctive black plumes that form a loose, lace-like net across the back, closed wings, and tail. The head and neck are bare and covered with black, scaly skin, and the beak is long, slender, and curved. An average adult stands about 2 feet tall and weighs about 3 pounds.

ADAPTATIONS: Their slender curved bills are used to probe into shallow water, mud, or grass when foraging. They may also peck for insects on dry land. Sacred Ibises are social, feeding in groups and using communal roosting areas. These roosts generally include only their own species, but may also be shared with storks, herons, spoonbills, or cormorants.

DIET: The diet of the Sacred Ibis consists mainly of aquatic insects, insect larva, amphibians, and other small aquatic animals. They will also forage for insects on dry land.

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: The breeding season of the Sacred Ibis coincides with the local wet season. During this time, they move toward the equator, then back toward coasts and permanent bodies of water in the dry season. The male gathers materials while the female builds the nest. The clutch size is generally 2-5 eggs, with an incubation period of 28-29 days. Both sexes assist with incubation and care of the young. The young leave the nest when they are 2-3 weeks old and assemble themselves into groups. They fledge at 35-40 days of age, and leave the colony at 35-48 days.

SPECIAL: In ancient Egyptian societies, the Sacred Ibis was worshipped as the god Thoth, the god of learning and inventor of writing. The birds were often mummified and buried in the tombs of pharaohs, assuring them intelligent guidance in the netherworld. The reasoning for this worship of the Sacred Ibis may be because the flocks arrived in Egypt with the annual rising and flooding of the Nile, which was itself a symbol of rebirth. Ibises also fearlessly devoured scorpions and snakes and were believed to be magically immune to the bites of these animals. The black and white plumage was probably also a factor, as the black feathers symbolized night or death, and the white feathers symbolized the light of the sun or life. Sacred Ibises are still respected today, as they help control pests in agricultural crops. They are, however, very rare in modern Egypt.

STATUS IN WILD: Rare