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IBIS (EYE-biss)

Any of various stork-like wading birds having a long, slender, down-curved bills
Common clues: Wading bird; Nile bird; Heron relative; Head of the Egyptian god Thoth; It was sacred to Tut; Sacred bird; Bird seen in hieroglyphics
Crossword puzzle frequency: 3 times a year
Frequency in English language: 49993 / 86800
Video:
White ibis takes flight


Ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae. They all have long down curved bills, and usually feed as a group, probing mud for food items, usually crustaceans. Most species nest in trees, often with spoonbills or herons.




According to folklore, the ibis is the last form of wildlife to take shelter prior to a hurricane and the first to reappear after the storm passes. The ibis was also an object of religious veneration in ancient Egypt, particularly associated with the god, Thoth.


The ibis family is one of the families in the order Ciconiiformes, which also includes other wading bird families.



This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ibis".