noun
ibis
EYE-bis/ˈaɪbɪs/
A long-legged wading bird with a downward-curving bill.
The ibis stands in shallow water on long legs beneath its downward-curving bill.
Etymology
Egyptian hab named a sacred bird of Egypt. Thus the name of this curved-billed wader connects it not just with a bird type, but with its sacred status in Egypt.
In context
the Ibis is a remarkable waiting bird commonly found in Wetlands marshes and along the shores of lakes and rivers known for its long slender legs and distinctive down curved bill
More examples
- Several ibises feed in the shallow water beside the trail.
- The ibis stretches its long legs as it takes flight.
- We watch an ibis build a nest in a tree.
Forms
ibis · ibises
Similar words
- wader
- A broader term for birds that feed in shallow water.