Hadada Ibis
The Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash), is a species of ibis that is found throughout open grasslands, savanna and rainforests of Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Gabon, Zaire, Cameroon, Gambia, Kenya, Somalia and South Africa. It is also commonly found in urban parks and gardens.
The Hadada Ibis is large, up to 30 inches long, is dark brown with a white “moustache”, has glossy greenish-purple wings, large black bill with red stripe on the upper mandible, and has blackish legs.
It feeds mainly on earthworms, using its long scimitar-like bill to probe soft soil. It also eats larger insects, such as the Parkton Prawn, as well as spiders and small lizards.
It has a distinctively loud and recognizable haa-haa-haa-de-dah call that is often heard when the birds are flying, hence the name.