Animal
Scarlet ibis
The scarlet ibis is a bright red bird with a long, curved beak. It wades in muddy water to find crabs and bugs. It lives in big, noisy flocks.
The scarlet ibis is a bright red wading bird of South America, red all over except for black wingtips. It probes mud and shallow water with its long, curved bill for crabs, crayfish and insects, and its color comes from pigments in its food.
Eudocimus ruber is a colonial wading bird of the ibis family, Threskiornithidae, living on mudflats, mangroves and wetlands of northern South America. Its scarlet plumage comes from pigments in its crustacean-rich diet. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern, though its population is decreasing.
Photo: Clément Bardot, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Meet the scarlet ibis
The scarlet ibis is bright red.
Only the tips of its wings are black. It has long legs and a long beak that curves down. Its red color comes from the food it eats!
Adult scarlet ibises are bright red, with glossy blue-black tips on their wings. They have long pink legs and a thin bill that curves downward.
That amazing color comes from food. Like flamingos, scarlet ibises get pigments from the crabs, crayfish and other small animals they eat. Young ibises start out dull grayish-brown with white bellies, and it takes about 18 months for their feathers to turn fully red.
Eudocimus ruber belongs to the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. Adults are scarlet with glossy blue-black wingtips, long legs and a slender, down-curved bill; males and females are colored alike, but males are larger with longer bills. Animal Diversity Web gives a length of 55.8 to 76.2 centimeters.
The red comes from pigments in the diet. Animal Diversity Web notes that captive birds fade to pink unless they are fed a special diet high in protein and shrimp. Juveniles are dull grayish-brown with white underparts; Smithsonian's National Zoo says full adult color takes about 18 months. It is one of the two national birds of Trinidad and Tobago: the scarlet ibis stands for Trinidad and the cocrico for Tobago, and both appear on the country's coat of arms.
Quick facts
- Group
- Bird
- Length
- 0.56 to 0.76 m
- Height
- up to 0.64 m
- Weight
- up to 0.9 kg
- Lifespan in the wild
- up to 16 years
Where it lives
Scarlet ibises live in South America.
They like muddy beaches, swamps and the edges of rivers. They nest in trees near the water.
Scarlet ibises live in northern South America, from Colombia and Venezuela along the coast to Brazil, and on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Now and then one turns up farther away, in Central America, the Caribbean or even southern Florida.
They feed on mudflats, in shallow bays, swamps and wetlands. They nest on islands covered in thick bushes and in mangroves near the mouths of rivers. Flocks move between the coast and inland wetlands with the seasons.
The IUCN's 2025 global assessment lists the scarlet ibis as resident in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Trinidad and Tobago and Argentina, with vagrants as far as the United States, Cuba and Panama. Animal Diversity Web describes the range as stretching from Venezuela to eastern Brazil.
The species favors mudflats, shallow bays, swamps and estuaries, and nests in mangroves and on dense, brush-covered islands near river mouths. It is nomadic: Animal Diversity Web describes seasonal shifts between the interior wetlands and llanos of northern South America and the coast, with nesting in northwestern Colombia and along the Atlantic coast into northeastern Brazil.
Continent
Where can you find this animal?
- Lives here naturally · Countries and seas named by a scientific source
- Sightings recorded · Records of wild sightings (GBIF)
Lives here naturally · Countries and seas named by a scientific source
Mudflats, mangroves, swamps and wetlands of northern South America and Trinidad and Tobago. Scarlet ibises also live in French Guiana, which this map does not shade separately. They live in only part of each country shown.
Places: Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela.
Source: iucn-red-list · checked October 2026
Sightings recorded · Records of wild sightings (GBIF)
Counts of GBIF records of wild observations (human and machine) and preserved specimens. Records include introduced populations, vagrants, escaped or released animals and misidentifications, so a country with records is not necessarily part of the native range.
Wild sightings have been recorded in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Belgium, Netherlands and 31 more places.
Source: gbif · checked October 2026
Range maps show where scientists say an animal lives, often country by country. An animal may live in only part of a country shown, and sightings records can include animals that wandered far from home.
Probing the mud
Scarlet ibises poke their long beaks into the mud.
They find crabs, crayfish and water bugs. They also eat frogs and little fish.
A scarlet ibis feeds by poking its long, curved bill into soft mud and shallow water, feeling for food. It also pecks small animals from the surface of the ground.
Most of its meals are crustaceans, especially crayfish and small crabs, plus water insects. It also eats frogs, mollusks, small snakes and small fish. Ibises often feed together with storks, spoonbills and other wading birds.
Scarlet ibises forage by probing into water and mud with the long bill or by pecking prey from the soil surface. Animal Diversity Web lists crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates as the main diet, with crayfish and small crabs making up the bulk, along with aquatic insects; frogs, mollusks, small snakes and small fish are also taken.
The birds often forage in mixed groups with storks, spoonbills and Brazilian ducks. Animal Diversity Web suggests that crowds of wading birds stirring the shallows may disturb prey and make it easier to catch, and that a large mixed flock may offer some protection from predators. Smithsonian's National Zoo describes these mixed flocks as cooperative partnerships.
Did you know?
It is a national bird of Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago has two national birds: the scarlet ibis for Trinidad and the cocrico for Tobago. Both are on the country's coat of arms.
Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs names two national birds, the scarlet ibis (Trinidad) and the cocrico (Tobago), and calls the Caroni Swamp in central Trinidad the scarlet ibis's largest habitat.
Made for wading
Long legs let the ibis wade in shallow water.
Its thin beak curves down to reach into the mud. Its feet are a little bit webbed.
Long legs carry a scarlet ibis through shallow water and over soft mud. Its feet are slightly webbed.
The slender bill curves downward, just right for probing mud and water for hidden food. When an ibis flies, it holds its neck straight out in front, with its bill pointing forward. Flocks soar and glide high in the sky between feeding and resting places.
Like all ibises, the scarlet ibis is long-legged and long-necked, with slightly webbed feet and a thin, down-curved bill used for probing. Males are noticeably larger than females, with longer bills.
Ibises fly with the neck held straight and the bill forward. Animal Diversity Web describes scarlet ibises flying in large flocks between feeding and roosting sites, soaring and gliding at great heights and speeds, and notes that a disturbed colony may take off all at once. Smithsonian's National Zoo gives a standing height of about 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) and a weight of about 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms).
From gray chick to red bird
Scarlet ibises build nests in trees, close together.
The mother lays three to five eggs. Both parents care for the chicks. The chicks are dark and fluffy, not red!
Scarlet ibises nest in colonies, often with several nests in one tree. The female lays 3 to 5 eggs, and both parents keep them warm for about three weeks.
Newborn chicks are so weak they cannot even hold up their heads. Both parents feed them and guard them. The chicks can swim before they can fly, can fly well at about 40 days old and can find their own food at about 75 days. Their red feathers take about 18 months to grow in fully.
Colonies hold anywhere from 20 to 600 nests, sometimes up to 2,000, with several nests per tree. Animal Diversity Web describes birds visiting nesting sites by mid-September and laying from early November through December; Smithsonian's National Zoo adds that Northern Hemisphere colonies nest between June and August.
Clutches are 3 to 5 smooth eggs, incubated by both parents for 19 to 23 days. Chicks hatch altricial, unable even to raise their heads. To feed one, a parent grasps the chick's bill so it lifts its head, then regurgitates food into its mouth. Young fly well by about 40 days and are independent at about 75 days. About half of young birds die, mostly from predation and lack of food.
Life in a crowd
Scarlet ibises love company.
They feed, fly and nest in big groups. They honk and squeal to talk to each other.
Scarlet ibises are very social. They feed in flocks of 30 or more birds, fly together between feeding and resting places, and nest in crowded colonies. A group of ibises is called a congregation.
To attract a mate, a male shows off by preening, flying, rubbing his head and rocking. Partners greet each other and wrap their necks together. Males honk, females squeal, and hungry chicks give a shrill cry.
The species is highly communal when nesting and foraging. Smithsonian's National Zoo describes flocks of 30 or more; a flock is called a congregation. Scarlet ibises are polygynous, so a male may mate with several females.
Courting males display by preening, flights, head-rubbing and rocking; Animal Diversity Web notes a male may attack a female who strays from his display area. Pairs greet and intertwine necks, and touch matters in courtship. Males honk during courtship and to signal disturbance at the nest, females give a squealing call, and chicks beg with a shrill cry. Disputes between males are settled by size, and colonies give warning calls when predators such as large cats or birds of prey approach.
Did you know?
Young ibises can swim before they can fly.
Scarlet ibis chicks can swim before they are able to fly.
Smithsonian's National Zoo notes that young scarlet ibises swim before they fly.
Protecting the red flocks
There are still many scarlet ibises.
But people sometimes take their eggs, catch the birds or spoil the places where they nest. Clean wetlands keep them safe.
The scarlet ibis is listed as Least Concern, but its numbers are falling. In some places people hunt the birds for their feathers and meat, collect their eggs or sell the chicks as pets.
Losing nesting islands and feeding grounds is a big problem too, along with pollution and boats that disturb the colonies. There are laws to protect the birds and their homes, but they are not always enforced.
The IUCN lists the scarlet ibis as Least Concern (global assessment, 2025), with 66,700 to 100,000 mature individuals and a decreasing trend. Smithsonian's National Zoo notes that local populations are at risk from capture for the pet trade, habitat loss and hunting for feathers.
Animal Diversity Web adds egg harvesting, destruction of nesting grounds and feeding areas, heavy pollution in the remaining sites, and disturbance from recreation such as boating. There are laws protecting the species and its habitats, but in many areas enforcement is weak. It is listed in CITES Appendix II, which controls international trade, and protected in the United States under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
IUCN Red List
How is the scarlet ibis doing in the wild?
- Least Concern (this animal)
- Near Threatened
- Vulnerable
- Endangered
- Critically Endangered
- Extinct in the Wild
- Extinct
Least Concern
Not at risk of disappearing from the wild right now.
See the IUCN Red List assessment · The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021.3
Amazing facts
-
A scarlet ibis gets its red color from its food.
Like flamingos, scarlet ibises get their bright color from pigments in the crabs and crayfish they eat.
Plumage color is diet-derived; zoo birds fade to pink unless fed a diet high in protein and shrimp.
-
Baby scarlet ibises are not red.
Scarlet ibis chicks are dark and downy, and it takes about 18 months for their feathers to turn fully red.
Juveniles are grayish-brown with white underparts and reach full adult color at about 18 months.
-
Young ibises can swim before they can fly.
Scarlet ibis chicks can swim before they are able to fly.
Smithsonian's National Zoo notes that young scarlet ibises swim before they fly.
-
It is a national bird of Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago has two national birds: the scarlet ibis for Trinidad and the cocrico for Tobago. Both are on the country's coat of arms.
Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs names two national birds, the scarlet ibis (Trinidad) and the cocrico (Tobago), and calls the Caroni Swamp in central Trinidad the scarlet ibis's largest habitat.
Words to know
- ibis
- a long-legged wading bird with a long, down-curved bill
- pigment
- a natural substance that gives something its color
- crustacean
- an animal with a hard shell and jointed legs, like a crab or crayfish
- mangrove
- a tree that grows in salty water along tropical coasts
- colony
- a group of animals of the same kind living or nesting close together
- congregation
- the name for a flock of ibises
Discovery challenge
-
Why is the scarlet ibis red?
Where does the scarlet ibis get its red color?
What is the source of the scarlet ibis's red plumage?
- From the sun
- From pigments in its food
- From red mud
Show the answer
From pigments in its food
The food it eats makes it red.
Like flamingos, it gets pigments from the crabs and crayfish it eats.
Diet-derived pigments; captive birds fade to pink without the right diet.
-
What color is a young scarlet ibis?
What color are young scarlet ibises?
What do juvenile scarlet ibises look like?
- Bright red
- Dull gray-brown
- Bright blue
Show the answer
Dull gray-brown
Young ibises are dull gray-brown, not red.
Young ibises are grayish-brown and take about 18 months to turn fully red.
Grayish-brown with white underparts, reaching adult color at about 18 months.
-
What does a scarlet ibis eat most?
What makes up most of a scarlet ibis's food?
Which prey forms the bulk of the scarlet ibis diet?
- Crabs and crayfish
- Grass and seeds
- Fruit
Show the answer
Crabs and crayfish
It eats crabs and crayfish from the mud.
Crayfish and small crabs make up most of its diet, plus water insects.
Crustaceans, mainly crayfish and small crabs, plus aquatic insects (Animal Diversity Web).
-
Which country has the scarlet ibis as a national bird?
Which country has the scarlet ibis as one of its national birds?
The scarlet ibis is one of the two national birds of which country?
- Canada
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Japan
Show the answer
Trinidad and Tobago
It is a national bird of Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago, islands where scarlet ibises live. Its other national bird is the cocrico.
Trinidad and Tobago, where the species is resident; the scarlet ibis stands for Trinidad and the cocrico for Tobago.
Places where you might see it
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Watch
Country
Venezuela
Venezuela is a country on the north coast of South America. It has high Andes mountains, huge grassy plains called the Llanos, the great Orinoco River and flat-topped mountains called tepuis, where Angel Falls drops 979 meters.
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Watch
Country
Brazil
Brazil covers about half of South America and is the fifth-largest country in the world. It holds most of the Amazon River basin and much of the world's largest rainforest, and about 214 million people lived there in 2026, most of them near the Atlantic coast.
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Venezuela
Venezuela is a country on the north coast of South America. It has high Andes mountains, huge grassy plains called the Llanos, the great Orinoco River and flat-topped mountains called tepuis, where Angel Falls drops 979 meters.
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For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Explain how the scarlet ibis gets its red color from its food.
- Describe how ibises use their curved bills to find food in mud and water.
- Describe colonial nesting and how young ibises change color as they grow.
- Explain the threats to scarlet ibises and why laws need enforcing.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Why might a flamingo and a scarlet ibis both be pink or red?
- Why might lots of wading birds feeding together find food more easily?
- What could people do to protect the mangroves where ibises nest?
Try at home or in class
- Hide small toys in a tray of damp sand and try to find them by poking a curved straw or spoon handle into the sand, like an ibis probing mud.
- Look at a picture of a scarlet ibis and a flamingo side by side and list the ways they are alike and different.
Key vocabulary: ibis, pigment, crustacean, mangrove, colony, congregation
Where these facts come from
- The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN terms of use (no redistribution of Red List data or range maps))
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and GBIF Occurrence Search , Global Biodiversity Information Facility (CC0 1.0 (backbone); occurrence counts are facts derived from records under CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC)
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Eudocimus ruber (Scarlet Ibis), Red List global assessment 2025 , IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Scarlet ibis , Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
- Eudocimus ruber (scarlet ibis) , Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- National Bird , Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file: Public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA only (credited on each page))
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated October 24, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.