Buff-necked Ibis

Overview

The buff-necked ibis (Theristicus caudatus), also known as the white-throated ibis, is a fairly large bird found widely in open habitats of eastern and northern South America. It is distinct from the similar black-faced ibis, which is restricted to colder parts of the continent.

Identification

• Approximately 75 cm in total length, with buffish neck and grey upperparts.
• Black belly and flight feathers contrasting with a large white patch on the wings.
• Blackish bill and bare skin around the eyes, with red legs.
• In flight, the white wing patch forms a broad band separating black remiges from grey lesser coverts.

Habitat

This species inhabits a wide range of open environments including fields, marshes, savanna, and grassland. It is almost entirely restricted to tropical and warmer subtropical lowlands, though it occasionally extends into highlands. Its range covers northern and central South America, extending into south-central regions including southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina.

Diet

Its diet consists mainly of insects, spiders, frogs, reptiles, snails, invertebrates, and small mammals found in soft soils.

Did you know?

The female constructs a platform nest made from twigs and branches in a tree, typically laying two to four eggs.