Scientific Name:
Eudocimus ruber
Distribution
Northern S America from Venezuela to E Brazil
Diet:
Omnivore. Mainly crustaceans, also molluscs including snails and bivalves, insects, small fish, ragworms.
Facts
Habitat: Wetlands such as mangrove swamps, tidal mudflats, shallow lakes, and rice fields.
Incubation: 21-23 days / 1-3 eggs
Social structure: Large colonies of 50 to 5,000 birds
Weight: ~615g
Dimensions: 56-76cm
Lifespan: 16
Estimated population in the wild: Unknown. Decreasing.
Threats: There are no major threats for this species.
IUCN Status: Least concern
Did you know that:
- Their brilliant red color comes from carotene found in the crustaceans on which it feeds.
- Their curved, slender bill is used to probe into shallow water, mud or grass when foraging.