In Ancient Egypt, sacred ibis were heralds of the flood, and symbolised the god Thoth, god of wisdom and master of time. They were also of practical use to the villagers, making pools safe to bathe by feeding on the water snails that carried the bilharzias liver parasite.

Statistics
Body length: 76cm

Physical description
The sacred ibis is a distinctive bird. It is conspicuous, fairly large and white, with a naked black head and neck, and a long, dark, downwards curved bill. It also has purple-black plumes on its lower back.

Distribution
Resident throughout Ethiopia and common in East Africa, sacred ibis bred in Egypt until 1850.

Habitat
They frequent marshes, swamps, riverbanks, pasture and ploughed land and flood plains.

Diet
Mainly eats grasshoppers, locusts, crickets and water beetles. Also partial to worms, molluscs, crustaceans, fish, eggs, carrion and refuse.

Behaviour
Ibis are gregarious and are found in groups of 2-20, occasionally 100-300.

Reproduction
They migrate several hundred kilometres north or south of Equator to breed in the rains. Colonies consist of 50-2,000 pairs nesting in trees, bushes, or on the ground on islands. 2-4 eggs are laid during the rains or in the dry season in flooded areas, but breeding success is often very low, with an average of less than 0.01 young fledged per nest.

Voice
Generally silent, but sometimes utters a harsh croak in flight.