What kind of bird is the Miami Hurricanes' mascot?

The University of Miami mascot is the American white ibis, a four-legged bird with a large, downward-curved bill. The school first adopted the marshland native as its unofficial mascot in 1926.

Sebastian the Ibis was first seen in 1957 and is a fixture at Hurricane football and basketball games, typically donning an orange Hurricanes jersey with the number 0. According to the University, the ibis represents the "leadership courage, knowledge, strength and speed characteristics that our student-athletes portray." Folklore identifies the ibis as a leader of other birds, often the last sign of wildlife seen before the arrival of a hurricane and the first to emerge when the storm has passed.