An African sacred ibis with a white body, black head and curved bill perched on a bush. — Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

A white ibis with a black head and neck that ancient Egyptians honored as a symbol of the god Thoth.

🪿 Wading Birds

Checking teacher reviews…

Teacher? Sign in to review this page →Report a mistake

About the African Sacred Ibis

Sacred ibises are 25 to 35 inches long and weigh about 3 pounds. They are mostly white with a black head, neck, legs and wing tips. They live near wetlands, mangroves, rivers and coasts in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Iraq, and they probe mud and water with their long bills for insects, worms, eggs, frogs, reptiles and small mammals. They will even feed at garbage dumps.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Threskiornis aethiopicus^[1]
Size: 25 to 35 inches long, with a wingspan of 44 to 49 inches.^[1]
Weight: About 3 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: Up to 20 years.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Insects, worms, eggs, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and carrion.^[1]
Habitat: Wetlands, mangroves, rivers and coasts.^[1]
Where it lives: Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Iraq; introduced in France.^[1]
Group life: Social. Roosts, feeds and nests in groups.^[1]
Babies: 2 or 3 eggs, incubated by both parents.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).^[2]

Fun facts

Ancient Egyptians mummified sacred ibises.^[1]
Young sacred ibises get adult feathers at about three years old.^[1]
Sacred ibises are now very rare in Egypt.^[1]

Vocabulary

ibis: A wading bird with a long, down-curved bill.
opportunistic feeder: An animal that eats whatever food it can find.
mummify: To preserve a dead body by drying and wrapping it.
colony: A large group of animals of one kind that live or nest together.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

San Francisco Zoo & GardensSan Francisco, California · BirdsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “Sacred Ibis.” https://www.sfzoo.org/sacred-ibis/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Threskiornis aethiopicus (African Sacred Ibis).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697510/132068562 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Wading Birds

African SpoonbillPlatalea albaA pure white African wading bird with a red face and legs and a long, spoon-shaped bill for sweeping up fish.American FlamingoPhoenicopterus ruberThe brightest-colored flamingo, also called the Caribbean flamingo, that filter-feeds with its bill upside down.Black Crowned CraneBalearica pavoninaA dark West African crane with a golden crown of stiff feathers that roosts in trees and dances when it breeds.Blue CraneAnthropoides paradiseusThe national bird of South Africa, a blue-gray crane of grasslands famous for courtship dances that can last for hours.

Cattle EgretBubulcus ibisA small white heron that follows grazing animals to catch the insects they stir up, and has spread from Africa around the world.Chilean FlamingoPhoenicopterus chilensisA pink flamingo of the high, cold salt flats of the southern Andes that feeds with its head upside down.Grey Crowned CraneBalearica regulorum (East African crowned crane: B. r. gibbericeps)An endangered African crane with a crown of stiff golden feathers, shown on the flag of Uganda. Also called the East African crowned crane.Hadada IbisBostrychia hagedashA gray-brown African ibis with shiny green-purple wings, named for its loud "haa-haa-haa-de-dah" call.HamerkopScopus umbrettaA brown African wading bird with a hammer-shaped head that builds the biggest nest of any bird in Africa.Lesser FlamingoPhoeniconaias minorThe world's smallest flamingo, which filters tiny algae from salty lakes and gathers in flocks of tens of thousands.Madagascar Crested IbisLophotibis cristataA forest ibis found only on Madagascar, with a brown body, white wings and a shiny greenish-blue crest.Malagasy Sacred IbisThreskiornis bernieriAn endangered white ibis with a black head and pale blue eyes that lives along the coasts of western Madagascar and Aldabra.

Marabou StorkLeptoptilos crumeniferA huge, bald-headed African stork that feeds mostly on dead animals and often gathers near lakes, rivers, garbage dumps and fishing villages.Northern Bald IbisGeronticus eremitaA glossy black ibis with a bald red head, also called the waldrapp, that was once common in Europe and is now one of the world's rarest birds.Roseate SpoonbillPlatalea ajajaA bright pink wading bird of the Americas that sweeps its spoon-shaped bill through shallow water to catch food.Scarlet IbisEudocimus ruberA bright red wading bird of northern South America that feeds mostly on crayfish and small crabs.Snowy EgretEgretta thulaAn all-white heron of the Americas with a black bill and bright yellow feet, famous for its lacy breeding plumes.Straw-Necked IbisThreskiornis spinicollisAn Australian ibis with straw-like neck feathers and a shiny back, nicknamed the "farmer's friend" for eating grasshoppers.Wattled CraneBugeranus carunculatusA tall African wetland crane with flaps of skin hanging from its chin that shrink when it's nervous and lengthen when it's excited.White StorkCiconia ciconiaA big white-and-black bird with a red bill that breeds in Europe, winters in Africa and inspired the story of storks delivering babies.White-Naped CraneGrus vipio (also called Antigone vipio)A tall gray-and-white crane of East Asian wetlands with a red face and pink legs, famous for its dancing.Yellow-Billed StorkMycteria ibisA tall white African stork with a bright yellow bill and red face that feels for fish and frogs in shallow water.