Sharp-tailed Ibis

Cercibis oxycerca (Spix, 1825)

Sharp-tailed Ibis, Cercibis oxycerca, is an ibis of wet lowland savannas and riverbanks in northern South America, breeding in eastern Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and northern Brazil. It is the only member of its genus. The bird is best recognised by its very long tail, which extends beyond the folded wings when perched and trails past the legs in flight. Adults are mainly black with a green sheen and purplish tones on the upperparts, while the bill, legs, toes and bare face are orangey-red.

Order

Pelecaniformes

Family

Threskiornithidae — Ibises, Spoonbills

Breeding range

South America: e Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and n Brazil