[Eudocimus ruber]
Habitat: Mud flats, estuaries, shorelines, and shallow bays
Size: 30″
Weight: 1.4 lbs
Wingspan: 12″
Average Lifespan: 20 years
Incubation Period: 19-23 days
Number of Young: 3-5
– As with flamingos, the brilliant red color of the scarlet ibis comes from carotene found in the crustaceans on which they eat.
– Ibis are rather quiet, only grunting or croaking on breeding grounds.
– Ibis are an ancient species with fossil records going back 60 million years.
– The scarlet ibis is the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago.