# Bare-faced Ibis (*Phimosus infuscatus*) The Bare-faced Ibis is a unique bird with a shiny, bare face! They are often seen in groups and love to wade in shallow waters looking for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Bare-faced Ibis](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Phimosus_infuscatus_-Mato_Grosso_do_Sul%252C_Brazil-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alastair Rae from London, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phimosus_infuscatus_-Mato_Grosso_do_Sul%252C_Brazil-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Bare-faced Ibis has a dark, glossy plumage with a purplish-green sheen, making it appear iridescent. Its most distinctive feature is the patch of bare, blackish skin on its face, contrasting with its dark feathers. It also has a long, decurved, dark bill. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Pelecaniformes - **Family:** Threskiornithidae - **Genus:** Phimosus ## Interesting facts - Bare-faced Ibises love to nest in huge colonies, sometimes sharing space with other feathered friends! - Their scientific name \*Phimosus infuscatus\* means 'dark-stained muzzle' because of its unique bare face! - These birds use a fun variety of grunts, croaks, and squawks to chat with each other! - Unlike their parents, baby Bare-faced Ibises are born with fuzzy faces, growing bare as they mature! ## Special abilities - **Mud Prober:** Bare-faced Ibis can find hidden prey because its long, curved bill is sensitive to touch and vibrations in the mud. - **Social Feeder:** Bare-faced Ibis has strong flocking instincts that help them locate abundant food sources and stay safe from predators. - **Wetland Wanderer:** Bare-faced Ibis can easily navigate shallow waters because its sturdy legs and feet are adapted for wading through mud. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 45-50 cm - **Wingspan:** 80-90 cm - **Weight:** 0.45-0.55 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 21-23 days ## Diet & Feeding These ibises love to eat small creatures they find in mud and shallow water, especially insects and worms. - **Primary Foods:** insect larvae, beetles, earthworms, snails, crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Great Black Hawk (*Buteogallus urubitinga*) — This large raptor may prey on ibis chicks or less vigilant adults. - **Eaten by:** [Spectacled Caiman](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spectacled-caiman) (*Caiman crocodilus*) — Caimans in wetlands are opportunistic predators of ibis adults and eggs. - **Eats:** Common Earthworm (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — A primary food source, these worms are dug from soft mud. - **Eats:** Spike-topped Apple Snail (*Pomacea diffusa*) — These snails are a common invertebrate prey found in shallow wetlands. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance so they feel safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bare-faced Ibis? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Bare-faced Ibis? 45-50 cm ### What is Bare-faced Ibis's wingspan? 80-90 cm ### How much does Bare-faced Ibis weigh? 0.45-0.55 kg ### How long does Bare-faced Ibis live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Bare-faced Ibis move? 45 km/h ### What does Bare-faced Ibis eat? These ibises love to eat small creatures they find in mud and shallow water, especially insects and worms. ### Where is Bare-faced Ibis usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Bare-faced Ibis: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bare-faced-ibis)