Eindhoven Zoo further expands largest colony of red ibises

Thirty to forty young red ibises were born at Eindhoven Zoo last month. The births mean that Europe's largest colony of this protected species in a zoo has grown even larger.

A total of 103 adult red ibises reside in the park in Mierlo. Thirty to forty young are now added to this number. With this, Eindhoven Zoo also has the highest number of births of this bird species in Europe.

At peace
"We leave the red ibises alone during the breeding period because we don't want to disturb them. That's why we don't know the exact number of young yet," said head of animal care Stephan Rijnen. "We are now letting nature take its course and will count the young at the end of the year."

The red ibis is found in the coastal areas of northern South America. In the mangrove area, they nest in large colonies. To protect themselves from predators, the shorebirds stay in a large group with other species of waterfowl that settle near the colony. Should the red ibises be in danger, they alert each other.

AdvantageLiving in a large group has another advantage for the red ibis, which weighs between 770 and 900 grams on average. The shorebird eats small aquatic animals, and when the group steps through the water together, these prey animals move. This makes it easier for the red ibis to find their food.

On average, a red ibis lives to be 33 years old. During those years, the species breeds for twenty days on an average of two eggs at a time. The red ibis is a protected species because until recently it was heavily hunted.

Young birdsThe bird is named for its red plumage. However, chicks look very different: when they hatch, they have gray-brown feathers with a white belly. When the chicks are between two and three years old, the red color gradually appears.

Want to know more about the red ibis? Readhere all information.