What’s a Hadedah?

The hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash), also called hadada, or hadedah is a large (about 76 cm long), grey-to-partly brown species of ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four note calls uttered in flight especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. It has an extremely loud and distinctive “haa-haa-haa-de-dah” call—hence the onomatopoetic name. The call is often heard when the birds are flying or are startled, or when the birds communicate socially, for example early in the morning in residential suburbs.