IBIS

'Ibises' (pronounced "EYE-bis-es") are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae. They all have long down curved bills, and usually feed as a group, probing mud for food items, usually crustaceans. Most species nest in trees, often with spoonbills or herons.
The word ''ibis'' comes from Greek, originally borrowed from Ancient Egyptian ''hîb''.

Contents

Folklore

Species in taxonomic order

Gallery

External links

Folklore

According to folklore, the ibis is the last form of wildlife to take shelter prior to a hurricane and the first to reappear after the storm passes. The Sacred Ibis was also an object of religious veneration in ancient Egypt, particularly associated with the god, Thoth. At the town of Hermopolis, ibises were reared specifically for sacrificial purposes and in the Serapeum at Saqqara, archaeologists found the mummies of one and a half million ibises and hundreds of thousand of falcons. (cf. "The Way to Eternity: Egyptian Myth", Time-Life Books, Duncan Baird Publishers, 1997, pages 66-67)

Species in taxonomic order

★ Genus ''Threskiornis''

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★ Sacred Ibis, ''Threskiornis aethiopicus''

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★ Madagascar Sacred Ibis, ''Threskiornis bernieri''

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★ Réunion Sacred Ibis, ''Threskiornis solitarius'' extinct

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★ Black-headed Ibis, ''Threskiornis melanocephalus''

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★ Australian White Ibis, ''Threskiornis molucca''

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★ Straw-necked Ibis, ''Threskiornis spinicollis''

★ Genus ''Pseudibis''

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★ Indian Black Ibis, ''Pseudibis papillosa''

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★ White-shouldered Ibis, ''Pseudibis davisoni''

★ Genus ''Thaumatibis''

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★ Giant Ibis, ''Thaumatibis gigantea''

★ Genus ''Geronticus''

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★ Northern Bald Ibis, ''Geronticus eremita''

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★ Southern Bald Ibis, ''Geronticus calvus''

★ Genus ''Nipponia''

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★ Japanese Crested Ibis, ''Nipponia nippon''

★ Genus ''Bostrychia''

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★ Olive Ibis, ''Bostrychia olivacea''

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★ Dwarf Olive Ibis, ''Bostrychia bocagei''

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★ Spot-breasted Ibis, ''Bostrychia rara''

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★ Hadada Ibis, ''Bostrychia hagedash''

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★ Wattled Ibis, ''Bostrychia carunculata''

★ Genus ''Theristicus''

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★ Plumbeous Ibis, ''Theristicus caerulescens''

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★ Buff-necked Ibis, ''Theristicus caudatus''

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★ Andean Ibis, ''Theristicus branickii''

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★ Black-faced Ibis, ''Theristicus melanopis''

★ Genus ''Cercibis''

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★ Sharp-tailed Ibis, ''Cercibis oxycerca''

★ Genus ''Mesembrinibis''

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★ Green Ibis, ''Mesembrinibis cayennensis''

★ Genus ''Phimosus''

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★ Whispering Ibis, ''Phimosus infuscatus''

★ Genus ''Eudocimus''

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★ American White Ibis, ''Eudocimus albus''

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★ Scarlet Ibis, ''Eudocimus ruber''

★ Genus ''Plegadis''

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★ Glossy Ibis, ''Plegadis falcinellus''

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★ White-faced Ibis, ''Plegadis chihi''

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★ Puna Ibis, ''Plegadis ridgwayi''

★ Genus ''Lophotibis''

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★ Madagascar Crested Ibis, ''Lophotibis cristata''

Gallery

External links

★ Ibis videos on the Internet Bird Collection