Scarlet Ibis

Did you know that its pink hue comes from its crustacean-based diet?

It is found in northern South America, from Venezuela to eastern Brazil.

The characteristic bright red plumage color intensifies as the bird grows, while young birds have a grayish-brown color and dark brownish white belly. This color comes from pigments in the crustaceans it feeds on.

It is a very social species that lives in flocks of thirty or more individuals. Breeding pairs build their nests, which consist of simple platforms made of sticks, near other pairs in the same tree, probably to reduce the risks of predation. The clutch consists of 3-5 eggs and incubation lasts between 19 and 23 days. Both adult birds share responsibility for caring for the young.

There are many threats influencing the status of the scarlet ibis: overhunting, egg collection and sale of hatchlings as pets in open markets, loss of habitat, destruction of nesting ground and loss of foraging and feeding areas along with heavy pollution in these areas.

Conservation status

Extinct

Extinct in the wild

Critically endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near threatened

Least concern

Insufficient data

Not evaluated