Glossy Ibis

Plegadis falcinellus

Family: Ibises and Spoonbills · Status: Vagrant · Size: 55–65 cm · Conservation: Least Concern

Range

Breeds across discontinuous parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and some parts of Central and North America.

Identification

Breeding adult has glossy green forecrown and deep chestnut head, neck and body; thighs red-brown; and a long down-curved bill. Non-breeding adult has mostly uniform dark brown plumage with white streaks on head and neck, green gloss on scapulars and upperwing-coverts, and pale blue-gray skin above and below the eye. Juvenile resembles non-breeding adult but duller, with variable white on the forehead, throat, and foreneck.

Habitat

Shallow freshwater and coastal wetlands, including mudflats and marshy areas.

Behaviour

Forages mostly by wading in shallow water, probing in soft mud for invertebrates.