Scarlet Ibis

NAME:

Scarlet Ibis

CLASS:

Aves

GENUS:

Eudocimus

SPECIES:

E. ruber

LENGTH:

22-24″

WEIGHT:

1.5 lbs.

LIFESPAN:

up to 25 yrs.

DIET:

Crabs, Mollusks, Small Fishes, Invertebrates & Car

RANGE

Coastal regions of South America from Venezula to Brazil & Trinidad

HABITAT

Coastal mangrove swamps, marshy areas, mudflats & estuaries. Protected nesting sites were established during the 1940’s.

CHARACTERISTICS

The Scarlet Ibis uses a sense of touch more than sight to find food. This brightly colored bird has webbed toes and a long, curved beak to probe into mud for food. They will often fly in large flocks to find food.

REPRODUCTION

The Scarlet Ibis nests in trees and lays a clutch of 2-4 eggs. The young Scarlet Ibis is grey or white, but as it grows and increases consumption of red crabs, its feathers take on the pink color. Young have a 50% mortality rate.

THREATS

Many of the marshy areas that spoonbills used for hunting and breeding have been drained for mosquito control and real estate development.