There are about 200 Giant Ibis in the world, the majority (90%) is confined to northern Cambodia. It is said that this species’ range is now much reduced. They had inhabited in vast areas of mainland south-east Asia in the past but the Giant Ibis now has an extremely small, declining population. They are found mostly in Cambodia, with a few birds surviving in extreme southern Laos, and one recent sighting in Yok Đôn National Park in Vietnam and already extinct in Thailand.
This bird became the national bird of Cambodia in 2005. It is a huge, striking ibis, unique by virtue of its being the largest member of its family.
- The giant ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea) is the only species in the monotypic genus Thaumatibis, is a wading bird of the Ibis family, Threskiornithidae.
- Size: 102-106cm, Weight: 4.2kg
- Cambodian names: ត្រយ៉ង់យក្ស ឬឪលើក [Troyang Yeak/Ov Leuk]
- IUCN red list status: Critical endangered
- This species can be found in lowlands as they are living in swamps, marshes, paddy-fields, open wooded plains, humid clearings, and pools within deciduous dipterocarp lowland forest. They are also found along wide rivers.
Giant ibis is in very small amount these days and there are reasons for that.
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The reason of their decline could be partly from the decline in large grazing animals, particularly wild water buffalo, as they rely on the pools and wallows dug by buffalo as feeding sites.
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The main threat is the deforestation (habitat lost), lack numbers of mega animals such as Elephants, Wild cattle, which usually maintain the Trapeang in the dry season that help to support the main food for the ibises. Many Trapeang (seasonal flooded ponds being dried up every year) leads to absence of those birds. Others could be Urban development, Crops, Livestock, Roads/Rail, Hunting, Gathering, Logging, Work, Fire, Dams, Native species.
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There are some organization and local community who work to protect them.
Places for watching Giant Ibis
The sites where you can see them all at once is Tmat Beoy ecotourism, Google Map is here.
Season for Giant Ibis watching
- November– April, February is the peak season
Footages of Giant Ibis
Photo courtesy to my friend Sean Marady (who is a bird guide and provided this photo for me specially for Connect). Marady is a staff of our partner organization who received fund to work in the site.
A map of where Giant Ibis lives by Bird Life International (2017)
Other posts about birds
- Sarus Cranes, the world’s tallest flying birds
- Giant Ibis, the critically endangered species, only exist in Cambodia
- Prek Toal the biggest bird sanctuary in Cambodia
Have you seen one before?
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Tagging my friend @CAAG1959 @MukulR @TusharSuradkar who might interested to read about Giant Ibis
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That is a majestic bird and an amazing picture @Sophia_Cambodia did you capture it?
The Ibis looks pre-historic, no doubt they are considered as the descendants of the dinosaur species.
Though sad to know that their numbers are dwindling.
Are there any ongoing efforts to preserve them?
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Hola @Sophia_Cambodia que completa publicación, gracias por etiquetarme.
Me deja sensaciones ambiguas, por un lado el privilegio de saber, sobre el Ibis Gigante, conocer su hábitat y sus características y ver que fue declarada Ave Nacional, saber que existe y que algo se hace por su preservación y por otro la rabia de saber que, por culpa del ser humano, con sus intereses mezquinos y avasalladores, estén, este ave y otras tantas especies a punto de desaparecer.
Y lo peor de todo destrozar los ecosistemas, hasta comprometer su propia supervivencia. Suerte que hay Organizaciones, como la que integras, grupos y activistas, que me dan la esperanza de que el Mundo todavía se pueda salvar.
Gracias por lo que haces. Saludos.
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Thank you dear @TusharSuradkar no I have not seen them by my eyes and the photo could only be captured by big lens (400mm). The photo was from my friend Sean Marady (who is a bird guide and provided this photo for me specially for Connect). Marady is a staff of our partner organization who received fund to work in the site.
Yes, at the moment, there are three organizations join hand to protect them: WCS, my organization and Sam Veasna Conservation Tours. We even introduced the Pond Watching Program, not only for Giant Ibis but for other birds too.
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Thank you my dear friend @CAAG1959 yes, they often come to one of the area and then the community work to protect them. Visitors who wish to see the site need to wait for the right season to see them. The organization and private sector try to save the remaining population in Preah Vihear (northern plain areas). Please read more about the** ecotourism site here**. My org just recently joined them.
Dearest @Sophia_Cambodia Ibises are royal birds and they remind me of the pyramids and the Nile In Europe. It was once studied at school that the Ibis was sacred in Egypt and the school books reported the image of this beautiful bird. Here in Europe I know of two types, the sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) which was originally from Africa and it is black and white and is now becoming a problem in many areas, as it has escaped some zoos and is destroying wetlands by removing food from the autochthonous animals, and then there is the Plegadis falcinellus I photographed on the Danube Delta. Unfortunately we are called homo sapiens but we are really unintelligent when we destroy our environment!.
Plegadis falcinellus
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Beautiful one @plavarda yes - I think there are many kinds of ibis and the one I shared here declared to be the biggest among its ibis family. There are many visitors from abroad just to come here for this special bird.
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tagging @TravellerG maybe you have missed this post of Giant Ibis.
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You are right…I almost missed your post…
Thanks for tagging me, dear @Sophia_Cambodia
I read your post with the usual enthusiasm…
Giant Ibis is photographed well - congratulations!
I have read that the ancient Egyptians worshipped Sacred Ibis as God Thoth - Good for maintaining universe … Have you read this?
Thanks for sharing also.
Regards…
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Thank you for reading and no I never knew about that @TravellerG couldn’t take the credit for the photo. It was taken by a professional bird guide who has both skill and right tool. I have not seen them myself yet! Thanks to him I could show you the bird.
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Hola @Sophia_Cambodia estoy en deuda contigo con una publicación sobre nuestra ave gigante el Ñandú, es que estoy con gripe (influenza), descartado COVID, así que un par de días de reposo bien abrigado, es lo indicado para recuperarme.
Saludos desde Uruguay.
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Please keep calm and take your time @CAAG1959 post whenever when you are ready in the future. I wish you the best and speed recovery. Take good care and stay well.
Hello LG friend, @CAAG1959
Happy to know that you are free from Covid…
Yes, sufficient rest returns you to good health…
All the best for speedy recovery.
Greetings… TG
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" bird guide who has both skill and right tool"…
Oh…I see…
It’s fine… As you rightly mentioned… His efforts have governors and opportunity to see this Bird at least in the photos…
I strongly believe that I have seen them in Mysore zoo or Nandankanan zoo.
Always with you…
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Nice photo! What camera and lens did you use? @Sophia_Cambodia
Here is a photo I took in Australia of an Australian ibis.
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Thank you dear @OliverKIWI it was taken by Canon 400mm but like I said - it was from a professional bird guide who is my friend and also staff of our organization’s partner. We are supporting his organization for the conservation of Giant Ibis in that site.
The photo you took was great 
