Ibis
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The ibises 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 and also followed from the root hb.
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[edit] Species in taxonomic order
- Genus Threskiornis
- Sacred Ibis, Threskiornis aethiopicus
- Madagascar Sacred Ibis, Threskiornis bernieri
- Réunion Sacred Ibis, Threskiornis solitarius extinct
- Black-headed Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus
- Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
- Straw-necked Ibis, Threskiornis spinicollis
- Genus Pseudibis
- Indian Black Ibis, Pseudibis papillosa
- White-shouldered Ibis, Pseudibis davisoni
- Genus Thaumatibis
- Giant Ibis, Thaumatibis gigantea
- Genus Geronticus
- Northern Bald Ibis, Geronticus eremita
- Southern Bald Ibis, Geronticus calvus
- Genus Nipponia
- Japanese Crested Ibis, Nipponia nippon
- Genus Bostrychia
- Olive Ibis, Bostrychia olivacea
- Dwarf Olive Ibis, Bostrychia bocagei
- Spot-breasted Ibis, Bostrychia rara
- Hadada Ibis, Bostrychia hagedash
- Wattled Ibis, Bostrychia carunculata
- Genus Theristicus
- Plumbeous Ibis, Theristicus caerulescens
- Buff-necked Ibis, Theristicus caudatus
- Black-faced Ibis, Theristicus melanopis
- Genus Cercibis
- Sharp-tailed Ibis, Cercibis oxycerca
- Genus Mesembrinibis
- Green Ibis, Mesembrinibis cayennensis
- Genus Phimosus
- Whispering Ibis, Phimosus infuscatus
- Genus Eudocimus
- American White Ibis, Eudocimus albus
- Scarlet Ibis, Eudocimus ruber
- Genus Plegadis
- Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
- White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi
- Puna Ibis, Plegadis ridgwayi
- Genus Lophotibis
- Madagascar Crested Ibis, Lophotibis cristata
[edit] In culture
The Sacred Ibis was 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 thousands of falcons.[1]
According to local legend in the Birecik area, the Northern Bald Ibis was one of the first birds that Noah released from the Ark as a symbol of fertility,[2] and a lingering religious sentiment in Turkey helped the colonies there to survive long after the demise of the species in Europe.[3]
The mascot of the University of Miami is an American White Ibis. The ibis was selected as the school mascot because of its legendary bravery during hurricanes. The ibis is the last sign of wildlife to take shelter before a hurricane hits and the first to reappear once the storm has passed. Miami's sports teams are nicknamed "The Hurricanes".[4]
[edit] Species images
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[edit] References
- ^ Fleming, Furgus; Alan Lothian; Duncan Baird Publishers. The Way to Eternity: Egyptian Myth. Amsterdam: Time-Life Books. 1997. pp. 66-67
- ^ Shuker, Karl (2003). The Beasts That Hide from Man: Seeking the World's Last Undiscovered Animals. Cosimo. pp. 166–168. ISBN 1931044643. "Dreams of a feathered Geronticus"
- ^ Beintema, Nienke. "Saving a charismatic bird" (PDF). AEWA Secretariat. http://www.unep-aewa.org/publications/saving_charismatic_bird.pdf. Retrieved 11 December 2008
- ^ Hurricane sports
[edit] External links
- Ibis videos - at Internet Bird Collection
