# Ibis — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Threskiornis aethiopicus*

> An ibis is a long-legged wading bird with a distinctive long, down-curved bill used to probe mud and shallow water for food. The sacred ibis was revered in ancient Egypt.

**IUCN status:** Least Concern  ·  **WARN range:** Africa, Asia

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Threskiornis aethiopicus |
| Diet | Carnivore (insects, frogs, small animals) |
| Habitat | Wetlands, marshes, rivers, and floodplains |
| Lifespan | Up to about 20 years |
| Weight | 1–1.5 kg (2.2–3.3 lb) |
| Top speed | A strong, steady flier |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Pelecaniformes
- **Family:** Threskiornithidae

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Least Concern (IUCN Red List category)
- **Population:** Global population not compiled for this guide
- **Trend:** See the IUCN Red List assessment
- **Assessed:** See the IUCN Red List assessment
- **CITES:** See CITES appendices
- Conservation figures are drawn from the IUCN Red List and CITES; this guide links to the authoritative sources rather than restating population counts.

## Key facts: Ibis
- An ibis is built for wetlands.
- Ibises are social birds that feed, roost, and nest in groups, often alongside herons, egrets, and storks.
- The sacred ibis was closely linked to the ancient Egyptian god Thoth, and vast numbers were mummified as offerings.

## The probing bill
An ibis is built for wetlands. Its long, slender, down-curved bill works like forceps, probing soft mud, shallow water, and grass for insects, worms, frogs, and small fish that it locates largely by touch. This lets ibises feed in murky water where sight-hunting birds struggle.

## Colonies and flight
Ibises are social birds that feed, roost, and nest in groups, often alongside herons, egrets, and storks. In flight they alternate flapping with gliding and often travel in long lines or V-formations between feeding and roosting sites.

## Sacred history
The sacred ibis was closely linked to the ancient Egyptian god Thoth, and vast numbers were mummified as offerings. Although it no longer breeds along the Nile, it remains widespread across sub-Saharan Africa and has formed feral populations in parts of Europe.

## Habitat and status
Ibises live around wetlands, floodplains, farmland, and even city parks, adapting well to landscapes shaped by people. Most species are common, and the sacred ibis is listed as Least Concern, though wetland drainage threatens some of their rarer relatives.

## What WARN does
WARN does not run a dedicated ibis programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The ibis is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the ibis supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.

## Frequently asked questions: Ibis
### What does an ibis eat?
Ibises eat insects, worms, frogs, small fish, and other small animals, using their long curved bills to probe mud and shallow water by touch.

### Why was the ibis sacred in Egypt?
The sacred ibis was associated with Thoth, the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and writing, and millions were mummified as religious offerings.

### Where do ibises live?
Ibises live around wetlands, marshes, rivers, and floodplains. The sacred ibis is widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, with feral populations in Europe.

### Are ibises endangered?
The sacred ibis is listed as Least Concern and is common, although some other ibis species are threatened by the loss of wetlands.

### How long do ibises live?
Ibises can live around 20 years, with survival depending on the health of the wetlands they rely on for food.

### Are ibis dangerous?
Ibis are not generally dangerous to people. An ibis is a long-legged wading bird with a distinctive long, down-curved bill used to probe mud and shallow water for food. The sacred ibis was revered in ancient Egypt. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

### How big is an ibis?
An Ibis is about Up to about 20 years. An ibis is a long-legged wading bird with a distinctive long, down-curved bill used to probe mud and shallow water for food. The sacred ibis was revered in ancient Egypt. Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN).

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Threskiornis aethiopicus](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Threskiornis%20aethiopicus&searchType=species)
- [Wikipedia — Ibis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_sacred_ibis)
- [Wikidata — Ibis](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q208763)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/ibis