Bostrychia hagedash
The Hadada Ibis (*Bostrychia hagedash*) is an iconic and distinctive wading bird of sub-Saharan Africa, renowned for its characteristic, far-carrying call. Averaging 76 cm (30 in) in length with a wingspan of approximately 90-100 cm (35-39 in) and weighing around 1.2 kg (2.6 lbs), it sports a largely grey-brown plumage, often appearing drab at a distance, but revealing a beautiful iridescent green, bronze, and purple sheen on its wings and back in good light. Key field marks include its long,...
Primarily found in open grasslands, savannas, woodlands, and wetlands, the Hadada Ibis has also significantly adapted to urban parks, gardens, and agricultural lands, typically occurring at low to moderate elevations.
Their diet consists mainly of invertebrates, including earthworms, insect larvae (especially beetles and grasshoppers), millipedes, and snails, supplemented occasionally by small vertebrates like lizards and frogs, primarily obtained by probing soft ground with their long bills.
Diurnal in nature, Hadada Ibises spend their days foraging and often roost communally in large trees or on buildings at night. Their primary foraging strategy involves probing soft ground with their long, sensitive bills, meticulously searching for subterranean invertebrates in short grass, lawns...
The Hadada Ibis is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, forming resident populations throughout much of its extensive range. Its primary breeding distribution covers a vast swathe from Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia in West Africa, eastward through Central African Republic, Democratic R...
Least Concern
- The Hadada Ibis's name, 'Hadada,' is an onomatopoeia derived directly from its loud, distinctive call, which is a quintessential sound of African mornings and evenings. - It is considered one of the loudest birds in Africa, with its call capable of carrying over long distances, often being the ...