Sacred ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus

Description

The sacred ibis is a large white bird that nests in colonies. Its primary habitats are wet meadows and shallow wetlands, but the species may even seek nutrition in agricultural environments. The species also commonly forages in landfills. It is an opportunist predator, feeding on earthworms, insects, fish, small mammals, amphibians, molluscs, crustaceans, and even birds’ eggs and chicks; it may destroy all of the eggs in bird colonies on shores or sandbanks.

Source: FinBIF species descriptions
Description text authors:

Juha Tiainen (LUKE) – updated 27 April 2016

CC BY 4.0

The map represents observations of this taxon, but it may not be used as a distribution map.

squares
Observations
  • Total squares
Checklist
Scientific name
Threskiornis aethiopicus
Author
(Latham, 1790)
Vernacular names
  • pyhäiibis (Finnish)
  • helig ibis (Swedish)
  • Sacred ibis (English)
Identifier
http://tun.fi/MX.26199
Taxon rank
species
This species is invasive
EstablishmentDoes not occur in Finland
Regulatory Status
  • Invasive alien species of Union concern (EU 2016/1141; 2017/1263; 2019/1262; 2022/1203) ?
Expert
  • Jari Valkama
DNA barcode sequences
Informal groups
  • Birds