Birds · Pelecaniformes · Threskiornithidae

White Ibis

Eudocimus albus

Least Concern

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

The American white ibis is a white bird with black wingtips and an intensely red bill and legs. It probes the mud with its curved bill in search of crabs and other crustaceans. It is abundant in Florida, where it has adapted so well to parks and golf courses that it has become a common urban bird. It is the mascot of the University of Miami, chosen for its reputation as the last bird to leave the coast before a hurricane.

Weight

700 g – 1.3 kg

Size

53 cm – 70 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

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34countries 16parks8same family

Fun facts

It is the mascot of the University of Miami for a specific reason: it was said to be the last bird to take shelter before a hurricane and the first to reappear afterwards, a symbol of resilience adopted by the institution.
It has become so urbanised in Florida that it eats bread and scraps in the parks, and studies show that this diet alters its gut flora and increases the presence of salmonella in urban populations.
The adults are white and the juveniles brown: they change gradually over their first two years, and the colonies hold birds of every intermediate shade.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Marshes, mangroves, rice fields, coastal lagoons and urban parks of the south-eastern United States and the Caribbean
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 22 days
Litter / clutch size: 3

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/