Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis
This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Plegadis falcinellus

Malay Name: Sekendi Kilat Biasa

Chinese Name: 彩鹮

Range: Found throughout most of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Central and North America. Populations from Asia and Australia may disperse widely outside the breeding season.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 55-65 cm

Identification: Non-breeding adult has mostly uniform dark brownish plumage, white streaks on head and neck, green gloss on scapulars and upperwing-coverts and long down-curved bill. Adult in breeding plumage has glossed green forecrown and deep chestnut head, neck and body with no streaks. Juvenile resembles non-breeding adult but duller.

Habitat: Mudflats and marshy wetlands.

Behaviour/Ecology: Forages mostly by wading in shallow water, probing in soft mud for food.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)

Featured reports: May 2022

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Peak weeks May 07-May 13, Sep 24-Sep 30
Early date 28 Sep 2019
Late date 26 Jun 1984
Two records in the past 10 years: in Sep 2019 at Kranji Dam, and in May 2022 at Lorong Halus.
Glossy Ibis at Mamukala Wetlands, Australia. Photo Credit: Con Foley

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Glossy Ibis)

References:

BirdLife International. (2019). Plegadis falcinellus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22697422A155528413.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Lim, K. S. (2009). The Avifauna of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore).

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Glossy Ibis. Retrieved on June 15, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/glossy-ibis.

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