sacred ibis

sacred ibis (plural sacred ibis or sacred ibises)

1. Threskiornis aethiopicus, a species of wading bird of the ibis family, Threskiornithidae, which breeds in sub-Saharan Africa, southeastern Iraq and formerly in Egypt, where it was venerated and often mummified as a symbol of the god Thoth.
   • 1871 March 4, “Fine-Art Gossip”, in The Athenæum: Journal of Literature, Science, the Fine Arts, Music, and the Drama, number 2262, London: John Francis, page 280:

     Mr. Poynter will probably contribute to the forthcoming Exhibition of the Royal Academy his picture of a damsel attached to the worship of Isis feeding the sacred ibides before the great temple at Karnac.

• African sacred ibis