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African Sacred Ibis
(Threskiornis aethiopicus)
: "Sacred Ibis"
Size: 60-85 cm; wing span: 110-125 cm
Weight: 1.35-1.5 kg
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
African Sacred Ibises are medium-sized aquatic birds with an
all-white plumage.
Only the head, with the very long, curved bill, and back of the
neck are black.
The legs and feet are pinkish-grey. During the breeding season,
African Sacred Ibises have black filamentary inner
secondary plumes that show clearly on their rumps. These plumes
look like black tail feathers when the birds are in eclipse.
The tips of the flight feathers are black; the underwings
show a long, narrow stripe of naked skin.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See African
Sacred Ibis at Wikipedia  .
Click here for classification information
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Range, habitat |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the
ebird.org
website.
The global distribution of the African Sacred Ibis is available
HERE
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Originally found in huge numbers in Egypt along the river
Nile as both sedentary populations and migratory breeders,
African Sacred Ibises were extirpated there by around 1850.
In modern times, although their wintering quarters still
remain in sub-Saharan tropical Africa, from
in the West to Eritrea in the East, the migratory population
travels southwards, along the East African highlands towards
South Africa. There is also a population on Madagascar. With
a few exceptions, the species is largely absent from the Congo
Basin and much of the deserts of south-western Africa.
Some vagrants are found around the Arabian peninsula.
There are also breeding introduced populations in some
European Mediterranean countries.
In Arabia African Sacred Ibises are vagrants. Sightings have
been reported from various parts of the coastline. In Oman
African Sacred Ibises can sometimes be seen along parts of
the South-east coast and the North coast, especially around
the Musandam peninsula.
African Sacred Ibises are usually found in mudplains, swamps
and the deltas of major rivers.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
We have not seen an African Sacred Ibis in Oman yet.
The photos shown below were taken in Africa.
All photographic information presented on this page has
kindly been contributed by M. Eaton.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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Lateral view of a African Sacred Ibis in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[September 2018]
Dorsal view of a African Sacred Ibis in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[September 2018]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
