Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Green Ibis
Mesembrinibis cayennensis
Green Ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Green Ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis) is a member of the Threskiornithidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 756 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pelecaniformes
- Family Threskiornithidae Ibises, Spoonbills
- Genus Mesembrinibis
- Species cayennensis
Where it lives
Honduras to southeastern Brazil and northeastern Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 756 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Threskiornithidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Green Ibis hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Green Ibis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Green Ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis) belongs to the Threskiornithidae family of the order Pelecaniformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Honduras to se Brazil and ne Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 756 g, with a wing length of about 29.6 cm and a tail of around 15.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 10.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Green Ibis?
The Green Ibis is a large bird that weighs around 756 g.
Where does the Green Ibis live?
The Green Ibis is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Honduras to se Brazil and ne Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Green Ibis belong to?
The Green Ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis) belongs to the Threskiornithidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Green Ibis eat?
The Green Ibis hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Green Ibis migrate?
The Green Ibis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Green Ibis endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Green Ibis make?
1 real field recording of the Green Ibis — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Green Ibis's range?
The Green Ibis has a mapped global range of about 10.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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