Ibises and Spoonbills of Zihuatanejo

FAMILY THRESHIORNITHIDAE

• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

• Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

• Birds (Class Aves)

• Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies (Order Pelecaniformes)​

• ​Ibises and Spoonbills (Family Threskiornithidae)

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Family Threskiornithidae comprises the ibises and spoonbills, a group of medium- to large-sized wading birds found in wetlands, marshes, estuaries, mudflats, and shallow freshwater and coastal habitats throughout much of the world. Members of this family are easily recognized by their long legs, elongated necks, and distinctive bills—ibises possess long, downward-curved bills used to probe mud and soft soil for prey, while spoonbills have broad, flattened bills that they sweep side-to-side through shallow water to detect and capture food. Their diet typically includes insects, crustaceans, mollusks, fish, amphibians, and other small aquatic animals.