Scarlet Ibis

Theme area:  El cañón de las aves
Scientific name:  Eudocimus ruber
Class:  Birds
Continent:  South America
Habitat:  Rivers, swamps, marshes and lakes
Diet:  Fructivore
Weight:  750 - 950 gr
Size:  55 - 75 cm
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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

DID YOU KNOW...

that the brown color of the young serves as camouflage?
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