English             -              Scarlet Ibis

Portuguese      -              Guará

Latin                 -               Eudocimus Ruber

The Scarlet Ibis is a species of ibis in the Threskiornithidae family of birds. In form it resembles most of the other twenty-seven extant species of ibis, but its remarkably brilliant scarlet colouration makes it unmistakable. It is one of the two national birds of Trinidad and Tobago.       

The Scarlet Ibis is a bird which is bright red. Adults measure up to 63 cm in length and weigh up to 1.4 kgs. Males are slightly larger than females. Their wingspan is around 54 cm. Only the wing tips deviate from the characteristic scarlet colour. The tips are black. They have a long, curved, pinkish-brown bill and have pinkish-white slightly webbed feet. Juvenile Scarlet Ibis displays a mix of greys, whites and blacks across their body. During their second moult the bird begins to change from the blacks and greys to red. Like most wading birds they have long legs and a long neck. Their red colour comes from their diet. 

The Scarlet Ibis is a resident species of South America and some of the Caribbean islands. They can be found in Argentina, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela and Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago. They are most prolific in the Llanos region of South America. They inhabit wetlands and other areas of shoreline. They also range through mud flats, mangroves, marshes and rainforest. They will gather near fresh and salt water estuaries.

The Scarlet Ibis obtains food by probing in the sand, soft mud or under plants with its beak. They can eat beetles, insects, small fish, crayfish and amphibians. They do however, eat a lot of shrimp and other similar creatures like small crabs, mollusks and other crustaceans. The large quantity of shrimp and other red shellfish produces a surfeit of astaxanthin, a carotenoid which is the key component of the birds’ red pigmentation.

The Scarlet Ibis has a colonial and social breeding system. Nests are generally built close to one another with more than one nest per tree. This is most likely done to reduce the risks of predation. Males use displays of preening, flights, head rubbing, and a rocking motion to attract mates. A female must be cautious when approaching a male, because he may actually attack her if she does not remain in his display area. Scarlet ibises are polygynous. The mating pair will build a simple nest consisting of a loose platform of sticks. The first egg is laid 5 to 6 days after copulation and there are usually 3 to 5 eggs in each nest. Eggs are not glossy, but are smooth. Incubation lasts between 19 to 23 days. Chicks fledge after 35 days and are independent in 75 days. Parental responsibilities are shared by both parents.

The Scarlet Ibis is facing many threats at present. Over hunting, the harvesting of eggs and the selling of young as pets in open-markets are just three of the things affecting population sizes. Other crucial aspects threatening the species revolve around habitat loss. Nesting ground destruction and loss of foraging and feeding grounds are serious problems, along with heavy pollution in these now limited areas. There are laws and regulations that have been issued to protect the Scarlet Ibis habitats and also guard the animal from hunting. However, in many areas, law enforcement is weak. In Brazil the Scarlet Ibis has been included on a national list of endangered species. In saying all this,  the Scarlet Ibis is classified as a species “of least concern” on the IUCN red list. Though several local populations appear to be in decline, global totals remain relatively large and the current rate of losses is not considered a threat to the species’ survival.

Photos of the Scarlet Ibis were taken at Parque das Aves - Foz do Iguacu - Parana. Photo No 3 is of a Juvenile.