page_title: Hadada ibis
section_title: Ecology
hierarchical_section_title: Hadada ibis / Ecology
caption_attribution_description: Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) in flight
context_page_description: The hadada ibis, also called hadeda, is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four note calls uttered in flight especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movements in response to rain particularly during droughts. Their ranges in southern Africa have increased with an increase in tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.
context_section_description: Hadeda ibises roost in groups on trees. They fly out in the mornings with loud calls and return in the evenings with regularity. Hadeda feed on insects, millipedes and earthworms, using their long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. They also eat larger insects, such as the Parktown prawn, and also spiders and small lizards. These birds also feed readily on snails and often clear garden beds around residential homes. They are particularly welcomed on bowling and golf greens because they are assiduous in extracting larvae of moths and beetles that feed on the roots of the grass.
   
  Like other ibis species, including spoonbills, and like some other probing feeders such as sanderling and kiwi, hadeda have sensory pits around the tips of their bills. In their foraging for unseen prey, such as shallow subterranean larvae, the pits enable them to locate feeding insects and earthworms. 
  Hadeda have become very common in many African cities and tolerate the closeness of humans. They are able to judge the direction of gaze of humans and the speed of approach to decide their escape strategies. Hadeda ibises have been involved in several bird-hits at airports in Kenya and South Africa.
  Hadeda are monogamous and pair bonds are thought to persist throughout the year. Breeding begins after the rains. In the Cape province, they breed mainly from October to November. The nest is a platform of twigs placed in a major branch of a large tree, typically in a fork, and unlike most ibis species, in spite of their moderately gregarious nature, they do not nest in groups. Both parents take part in incubating the clutch of three to four eggs. Incubation takes about 26 days. The parents feed the young by regurgitating food. Many young birds die by falling off the nest. The survivors fledge in about 33 days.
caption: Flying in South Africa
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