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Juvenile Scarlet Ibises have striking plumage that acts as camouflage: dull, grayish-brown feathers with a white belly and a pinkish bill. They are entirely dependent on their crustacean-rich diet to eventually develop their famous, glowing red color over their first two years of life.
Distinct Physical Traits
Coloring: When they hatch, chicks are covered in dark down. Juveniles fledge with dull, grayish-black or brown feathers on top and a white belly.
The "Red" Transformation: The iconic scarlet hue comes from carotenoid pigments in the shrimp and crabs they eat. The color change begins during their second molt (around one year of age) and takes up to two years to fully saturate.
The Beak: Juvenile bills start out pink or brownish with a dusky base and a receding black tip. They slowly develop the adult's downward-curved shape used for probing in the mud.
Behavior & SurvivalCamouflage: The brown-and-white juvenile plumage helps them blend into the mangrove and mudflat environments, keeping them hidden from predators before they gain their bright, telltale adult colors.
Swimmers: Uniquely, even before they are strong enough to fly, young Scarlet Ibises can regularly swim around their nest territory to escape danger.
