- Bostrychia olivacea
Identification
65–75 cm (25½-29½ in)
- Blackish-brown upperparts with bronzy-green sheen
- Leg colour varies
- Dark facial skin
Distribution
Africa
Western Africa: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo
Eastern Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania
African Islands: Gulf of Guinea Islands: Sao Tome and Príncipe
Taxonomy
Sao Tome Ibis was formerly included in this species.
Subspecies
Four subspecis recognized:
- B. o. olivacea in the lowland forests of Sierra Leone and Liberia
- B. o. cupreipennis in the lowland forests of Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, and Democratic Republic of the Congo
- B. o. akeleyorum in the montane forests of Kenya and Tanzania
- B. o. rothschildi formerly on Príncipe Island (Gulf of Guinea). Extinct around 1901
Habitat
Dense lowland rain forest around streams and rivers.
Behaviour
Diet
Although there are few records, the diet would appear to consist of beetles, grubs, worms, snails, snakes and sometimes plant matter.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.3). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Olive Ibis. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 April 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Olive_Ibis
