Sacred Ibis

Afrikaans name: Skoorsteenveër

Photo © Steven Herbert

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Many of us are familiar with the Hadeda Ibis. The Sacred Ibis is just as common but it is found around bodies of water instead of our gardens. It is definitely not as rowdy as the Hadeda.

The Sacred Ibis gets its name from Egypt where, some thousands of years ago, it was revered by the ancient Egyptians. Many of them were mummified and included in tombs.

Although the Sacred Ibis favours wetland habitats it can often be seen at rubbish dumps.

It feeds on a wide variety of prey including insects, fish, reptiles and small mammals and birds.

The Sacred Ibis nests in colonies in trees along with other species such as herons and pelicans.

Male and female have the same colouration.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	81	Threskiornis aethiopica aethiopica
2nd	81	Threskiornis aethiopicus
3rd	81	Threskiornis aethiopicus
4th	81	Threskiornis aethiopicus
5th	91	Threskiornis aethiopicus
6th	91	Threskiornis aethiopicus
7th	458	Threskiornis aethiopicus

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	81	Sacred Ibis
2nd	81	Sacred Ibis
3rd	81	Sacred Ibis
4th	81	Sacred Ibis
5th	91	Sacred Ibis
6th	91	Sacred Ibis
7th	458	African Sacred Ibis

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	81	Heilige-ibis
2nd	81	Skoorsteenveër
3rd	81	Skoorsteenveër
4th	81	Skoorsteenveër
5th	91	Skoorsteenveër
6th	91	Skoorsteenveër
7th	458	Skoorsteenveër

References and further reading

Wading Birds of the World - Revised edition - Author: Eric and Richard Soothill - Published: 1989 - Page: 96

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 40

Wildlife of the Cape Peninsula - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2001 - Page: 37

Wild About Johannesburg - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 1995 - Page: 31

Wild Issue 44 - Author: - Published: 2018 - Page: 60

Two Oceans - Author: Branch, Griffiths, Branch and Beckley - Published: 2010 - Page: 356

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 43

Tracks and Tracking in Southern Africa - Author: Louis Liebenberg - Published: 2000 - Page: 38

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Reader s Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 131

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 6

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 29

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 142

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 58

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 70

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 54

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 71

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 72

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 50

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 37

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 182

Questions and Answers - Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Published: 1990 - Page: 28

Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 84

Meeting with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1986 - Page: 32

Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 84

go! - Issue 190 - Author: - Published: 2023 - Page: 115

Ian Sinclair s Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 62

KwaZulu-Natal - A celebration of biodiversity - Author: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife - Published: 2002 - Page: 177

Freshwater Life - Author: C. Griffiths, J. Day & M. Picker - Published: 2015 - Page: 50

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 38

Everyone s Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 45

Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind - Author: B. Hilton-Barber & Prof. L. R. Berger - Published: 2004 - Page: 178

Common Birds of the North Coast - Author: Bing Comrie - Published: 2005 - Page: 10

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 34

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 26

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 10

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Published: 1992 - Page: 7

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 30

Birds of the Kruger and other National Parks - Volume 1 - Author: National Parks Board - Published: 1974 - Page: 4

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 28

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 44

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 165

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 165

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 50

Birds of Africa south of the Sahara - Author: Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan - Published: 2003 - Page: 54

BirdLife South Africa

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List of South African Birds