Birds · Pelecaniformes · Threskiornithidae

Scarlet Ibis

Eudocimus ruber

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The scarlet ibis is one of the most spectacular birds in the world: a uniform and extremely intense scarlet, apart from the black wing tips. It is the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago and appears on the coat of arms of Venezuela. It lives in the mangroves and marshes of northern South America, where it probes the mud with its curved bill for crabs, whose carotenoids give it its unmistakable colour.

Weight

650 g – 900 g

Size

55 cm – 63 cm

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestOceanFreshwaterCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Rainforest Ocean Freshwater

13countries 9parks8same family

Fun facts

fisiologíaIts deep red likewise comes from pigments in its diet, and the young hatch greyish, turning red gradually with age.
Its red comes from crabs: the carotenoids of the crustaceans it eats build up in the feathers, and the chicks are born grey and redden over two years until they reach the adult scarlet.
It is the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago and appears on the coat of arms of Venezuela: the roosts of the Caroni reserve, in Trinidad, draw thousands of birds every evening as they come in to the mangroves and turn the trees red.
It hybridises with the white ibis where the two species overlap, producing birds of an intermediate pink.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Mangroves, brackish marshes, floodplains and estuaries of northern South America
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 23 days
Litter / clutch size: 2

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudocimus_ruber