Bostrychia carunculata
The Wattled Ibis (Bostrychia carunculata) is a striking, medium-sized ibis endemic to the high-altitude regions of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Measuring approximately 65-75 cm in length and weighing between 1.15-1.3 kg, its plumage is predominantly a glossy dark brown to bronze, often exhibiting iridescent green and purple sheens on its wings, particularly in good light. A defining field mark is the distinctive fleshy black wattle that hangs from the base of its long, decurved black bill, accompani...
Found in high-altitude plateaus, afro-alpine grasslands, open montane forests, and rocky cliffs, typically between 1,500m and 4,100m elevation. It prefers areas with proximity to water for foraging.
Primarily carnivorous, consuming a variety of invertebrates such as insects (beetles, grasshoppers, larvae), earthworms, and mollusks. Occasionally takes small vertebrates like frogs or lizards.
Wattled Ibises are diurnal, spending their days foraging and roosting communally at night on inaccessible cliff ledges or in tall trees. They are methodical foragers, probing soft soil and mud with their long, decurved bills, often found near streams, swamps, or damp pastures. While generally see...
The Wattled Ibis is strictly endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands and the adjacent high-altitude regions of Eritrea. Its distribution is largely continuous throughout the mountainous and plateau areas of Ethiopia, including iconic locations like the Simien Mountains National Park and the Bale Mount...
Least Concern
- The Wattled Ibis is entirely endemic to the Ethiopian and Eritrean Highlands, found nowhere else in the world. - Its distinctive black wattles, which are fleshy and unfeathered, hang from the base of its bill, giving the bird its common name. - This species is one of the highest-dwelling ibises...