Photo: Miguel Jacques / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Sharp-tailed Ibis
Cercibis oxycerca
Sharp-tailed Ibis (Cercibis oxycerca) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sharp-tailed Ibis (Cercibis oxycerca) is a member of the Threskiornithidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 1.8 kg. 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 Cercibis
- Species oxycerca
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.8 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Threskiornithidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sharp-tailed Ibis hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Sharp-tailed Ibis is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Sharp-tailed Ibis (Cercibis oxycerca) is a member of the Threskiornithidae family, within the order Pelecaniformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA e Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and n Brazil.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.8 kg, with a wing length of about 40 cm and a tail of around 26.2 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 396,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sharp-tailed Ibis?
The Sharp-tailed Ibis is a very large bird that weighs around 1.8 kg.
Where does the Sharp-tailed Ibis live?
The Sharp-tailed Ibis is found across South America with a range covering SA e Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and n Brazil, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Sharp-tailed Ibis belong to?
The Sharp-tailed Ibis (Cercibis oxycerca) belongs to the Threskiornithidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Sharp-tailed Ibis eat?
The Sharp-tailed Ibis hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Sharp-tailed Ibis migrate?
The Sharp-tailed Ibis is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Sharp-tailed 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 Sharp-tailed Ibis make?
1 real field recording of the Sharp-tailed 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 Sharp-tailed Ibis's range?
The Sharp-tailed Ibis has a mapped global range of about 396,000 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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