Species that are considered high risk have a well-documented history of invasiveness in at least one location globally, and a high or medium climate match to the contiguous United States.
Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) is a wading bird native to sub-Saharan Africa. The omnivorous bird can be found within urban areas as well as wetlands and has been shown to easily forage in human waste dumps. T. aethipicus can be found in private collections as well as zoos. It is in trade in the United States. The history of invasiveness is classified as high. T. aethiopicus has been introduced to Europe, Taiwan, and the United States and established wild populations. This bird species is known to escape from zoos and other captive collections. Threskiornis aethiopicus is a predatory bird that preys on chicks and eggs of other species, forcing abandonment of nests and breeding colonies, possibly impacting the prey’s population size. Foraging activity and feces from colonies can negatively affect vegetation. The climate match for the contiguous United States is high. Most of the contiguous United States had a high or medium match. Areas of low match were mainly found in New England, the northern Great Plains, and Rocky Mountains. The certainty of assessment is high. The overall risk assessment category for Threskiornis aethiopicus is high.
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High Risk
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