Black-faced Ibis
CR

Black-faced Ibis

Theristicus melanopis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-faced_ibis

Overview

The black-faced ibis is a species of bird in the family Threskiornithidae. It is found in grassland and fields in southern and western South America. It has been included as a subspecies of the similar buff-necked ibis, but today all major authorities accept the split. The black-faced ibis also includes the Andean ibis as a subspecies. Some taxonomic authorities still do so.

The Black-faced Ibis faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urban development across its South American range. Hunting pressure and disturbance at breeding and feeding sites have further contributed to the species' critical status.

Threat summary

Habitat

The black-faced ibis is mainly found in southern South America, ranging throughout most of southern and central Argentina and Chile, where it occurs from sea-level to an altitude of approximately . It also occurs very locally in coastal Peru. While it remains fairly common in Argentina and Chile, this species has now been almost entirely extirpated from the Peruvian part of its range.

Overall...

TERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Threskiornithidae

Southern Bald IbisVU

Southern Bald Ibis

Geronticus calvus

Unknown
Eurasian SpoonbillCR

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Black-faced Ibis classified as Critically Endangered?
Black-faced Ibis is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Black-faced Ibis faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urban development across its South American range. Hunting pressure and disturbance at breeding and feeding sites have further contributed to the species' critical status.
Where does Black-faced Ibis live?
Black-faced Ibis occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Black-faced Ibis?
The main threats to Black-faced Ibis are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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