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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
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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

Sources

  1. [1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “Sacred Ibis.” https://www.sfzoo.org/sacred-ibis/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [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.

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