The Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) is a medium-sized, common African wading bird, found in the grasslands, rainforests, and urban areas of Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Gabon, Zaire, Cameroon, Gambia, Kenya, Somalia and South Africa.

The Hadada Ibis has brown and iridescent green feathers, a long black downward-curved beak with a red stripe on it upper mandible (top beak), and long black legs. It is related to the Spoonbill.

The Hadada Ibis is about 76 centimetres (30 inches) tall.

It has a very loud ha-ha call.

The Hadada Ibis eats mainly earthworms. It uses its long beak to poke the soil and dig out earthworms. It also eats insects, spiders, snails, small lizards, beetles, butterflies, and fly larvae. It forages by touch, not scent or vision.

It nests in a tree. The male gathers twigs and materials to give to his partner to make the nest. Females lay 3-6 eggs, which the male and female incubate until they hatch. The chicks are altricial – bald, blind, and helpless – until they are fully feathered.

 

 

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM