scarlet ibis
Red tropical bird
A scarlet ibis is a wading bird native to South America and the Caribbean, notable for its vivid red plumage.
The color comes from carotenoids in its crustacean diet.
The bird appears in James Hurst's widely anthologized short story of the same name, where it serves as a symbol of fragile beauty and displacement.
Deep purplish-red shade
- vermilionVivid red-orange pigment
- redPrimary color, warm
- brilliantIntensely bright or gifted
- vividIntensely clear and bright
carotenoid · pigmentation · striking · iridescent · hue · saturated · fiery · bright
Bird's complete feather coat
- feathersBird's lightweight covering
- beakHorny avian mouthpart
- flockAnimals gathered together
- nestingMaking a dwelling
migration · species · ornithology · avian · birder · birdwatching · binoculars · ornithologist
Water-saturated terrain
- mangroveTidal shrub with exposed roots
- marshGrassy waterlogged lowland
- estuaryTidal mixing zone
- mudflatExposed shore sediment
tidal · delta · coastal · lagoon · swamp · tropical · neotropical · South America
Exoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
- crabsClawed marine decapods
- shrimpSmall edible crustacean
- mollusksSoft-bodied invertebrates, often shelled
- invertebratesAnimals without vertebral columns
probing · shallow water · mud · crayfish · insects · frogs · fish · wading
Brief prose fiction
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- transformationThorough change in form
- beautyAesthetic excellence
- fragilityEase of breaking
death · innocence · brotherhood · literary symbol · coming-of-age · loss · pride · vulnerability
Kept from harm
- CITESWildlife trade agreement
- populationAll inhabitants combined
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
hunting · ecotourism · sanctuary · preserve · breeding programs · environmental · wildlife refuge · monitoring
crimson
Deep purplish-red shade
vivid · carotenoid · pigmentation · striking · iridescent · hue · saturated · fiery · bright · ruby
plumage
Bird's complete feather coat
nesting · migration · species · ornithology · avian · birder · birdwatching · binoculars · ornithologist · wingspan
wetlands
Water-saturated terrain
mudflat · tidal · delta · coastal · lagoon · swamp · tropical · neotropical · South America · Trinidad
crustaceans
Exoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
- crabsClawed marine decapods
- shrimpSmall edible crustacean
- mollusksSoft-bodied invertebrates, often shelled
invertebrates · probing · shallow water · mud · crayfish · insects · frogs · fish · wading · filter feeding
short story
Brief prose fiction
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- transformationThorough change in form
- beautyAesthetic excellence
fragility · death · innocence · brotherhood · literary symbol · coming-of-age · loss · pride · vulnerability · exoticism
protected
Kept from harm
- CITESWildlife trade agreement
- populationAll inhabitants combined
- threatenedExpressed intent to harm
habitat loss · hunting · ecotourism · sanctuary · preserve · breeding programs · environmental · wildlife refuge · monitoring · restoration
- colorful creaturesmacaw, peacock, parrot, toucan, flamingo
- long-billed birdspelican, brown pelican, white pelican, spoonbill, stork
- South American animalsjaguar, capybara, llama, alpaca, piranha
- wading birdsheron, egret, herons, egrets, stilt
- ibises
- Neotropical wildlifejaguar, capybara, sloth, toucan, macaw