Pantanal Animal Sketches: Ibis

Ibises have profound cultural and religious meaning around the world.   Egyptians venerated the ibis in the form of the god Thoth, the god of writing, mathematics, measurement, time, magic, and the moon. 

According to some interpretations, ibises were one of the first animals released from Noah’s Ark.  In Turkey, they are believed to be a symbol of fertility, which allowed the Turkish populations to survive long after the European colonies were gone. 

In the American Southeast, some people believe that ibises are the last animals to take shelter before a hurricane and the first to reappear. 

There are eleven genera of ibises which cover much of the world.

The Buff-necked Ibis, also called the White-throated Ibis, has an abundant population and lives in many types of habitats.  The ibises create platform nests in trees, and usually lay 2-4 eggs.