White Ibis

Eudocimus albus

The White Ibis is a beautiful bird with long legs and a curved beak. They love to wade in shallow waters looking for tasty food like fish and insects.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The White Ibis is a medium-sized wading bird with brilliant white plumage. It has striking reddish-pink legs and a bare, red face. Its most distinguishing feature is a long, decurved, salmon-pink bill, which darkens at the tip.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderPelecaniformesFamilyThreskiornithidaeGenusEudocimus

White Ibis

Interesting facts

Baby ibises are brown and only turn white after about two years.

Sometimes, White Ibises will steal food right from pelicans' mouths!

Their red face and legs become extra bright during breeding season!

They are sometimes called "Chokoloskee Chicken" in parts of Florida!

Special abilities

White Ibis has a long, curved bill that helps them probe deep into mud and soft soil to find hidden prey.

White Ibis can wade skillfully in shallow waters because of its long legs, allowing it to hunt in muddy habitats.

White Ibises often feed in groups, which helps them detect predators faster and disturb more prey.

Measurements & details

Length: 56-71 cm
Wingspan: 90-105 cm
Weight: 0.73-1.05 kg
Lifespan: 15-20 years
Top Speed: 50 km/h
Clutch Size: 2-4
Incubation: 21-23 days

Diet & Feeding

White Ibises love to eat small creatures hiding in the mud and shallow water.

Primary Foods

crayfish
small fish
insects
crabs
frogs
snails

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

Adults and eggs are sometimes preyed upon by alligators.

eaten by

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Raccoons often raid ibis nests for eggs and chicks.

hunts

Red Swamp Crayfish

Procambarus clarkii

Ibises use their long bills to find and eat crayfish.

hunts

Mosquitofish

Gambusia holbrooki

They forage for small fish like mosquitofish in shallow waters.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Filter Feeder

Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Piscivorous

Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.

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.