The long, thin bill of an ibis is perfect for probing in water or mud, or even in cracks in dry ground, in its search for food. The ibis uses its bill to feel around for tasty items such as grasshoppers, beetles, worms, crustaceans, fish, and carrion.
Sensitive feelers on the inside of the bill help the ibis identify food before it even sees it. The bird’s nostrils are at the base of the bill, rather than at the tip, so the ibis can breathe while sticking its bill in the water or mud!
Most ibis species live in large flocks, feeding, resting, and preening throughout the day. They even fly in flocks, either in a regular line or in a “V” formation grouping, from roost sites in trees to feeding grounds and back. They beat their wings in unison and even go from flapping to gliding at the same time. Ibis nest in groups that can number from hundreds to thousands of breeding pairs.
The parents take turns feeding their chicks; the chicks stick their head into a parent’s mouth to get regurgitated food. Ibis chicks fledge from 28 to 56 days, depending on the species, but are not fully independent until 1 to 4 weeks after fledging. And some, like the northern bald ibis, stay with their parents for much longer to learn feeding and migration patterns.
