glossy ibis

The Glossy Ibis often appears dark to blackish in poor light or at a distance, but its beautiful colours from deep maroon and emerald to bronze and violet are enhanced by a good light. The Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage has bright chestnut head, neck, upper back and underparts, whereas lower back, wings and tail are glossy bronze, purple and green. On the head, the facial skin is blue-black from base of bill to eye. It is bordered by a narrow line of pale blue skin, but not around the eye. This detail remains more or less visible, depending on the season. The long, curved bill is grey to brownish. The eyes are brown. Legs and feet may vary from dark brown to olive-grey. The female has similar plumage but she is smaller than male. The Glossy Ibis in non-breeding plumage is usually duller, with head and neck finely but densely streaked whitish. On the head, the contrast with the fine pale blue line is weaker. The immature resembles non-breeding adult, with less glossy green sheen. The plumage is browner on head and neck, with some white (variable) on forehead, throat and foreneck.

The Glossy Ibis breeds in freshwater or brackish wetlands with dense emergent vegetation, especially reeds, papyrus and rushes, but also trees and bushes. It often favours marshes near lakes or rivers, but it also frequents lagoons, flood-plains, wet meadows and various other wet areas. It is uncommon in coastal regions including estuaries, deltas, salt marshes and coastal lagoons.
It usually forages and feeds in very shallow water where it can probe into the mud. These birds roost in large trees fairly distant from the feeding sites.

The Glossy Ibis feeds mainly on insects such as aquatic beetles, flies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, crickets and also spiders. But the diet also includes frogs, tadpoles, lizards, small snakes, leeches, small fish and snails.
It usually forages by wading in shallow water where it probes into the mud for prey, thanks to the long, curved bill. But it may pick up insects and other prey items from ground or water surface.

The Glossy Ibis is often silent far from the breeding colonies. But at colonies, the breeding adults utter croaks, grunts, rattles and a hoarse "grrrr". The begging calls given by the young birds are described as "chhheee-eee-eeerr". When the bird is flying, it usually produces a low-pitched grunt "graa…graa…graa" or also "uhrr…uhrr…uhrr". The feeding flocks produce a subdued babbling.

The glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a water bird in the order Pelecaniformes and the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The scientific name derives from Ancient Greek plegados and Latin falcis both meaning "sickle" and referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. The Glossy Ibis is a very widespread species breeding in scattered warm regions of Europe Asia Africa and Australia but also along the Atlantic Coast of North America and in the Caribbean region. It was probably coming from the Old World. The bird has spread from Africa to N South America in the 19th century and then to North America. It was found for the first time in New Jersey in 1817 and expanded its range to both north and west in the 1980s. The species is migratory and moves southwards after breeding. It frequents a variety of wet areas where it forages in shallow waters searching for insects and crayfish. It nests in shrubs surrounded by marshy areas and usually breeds in colonies. Both parents share the nesting duties. The Glossy Ibis is primarily threatened by degradation and loss of wetland habitats but currently the species is locally abundant and not globally threatened. This is the most widespread ibis species breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe Asia Africa Australia and the Atlantic and Caribbean regions of the Americas. It is thought to have originated in the Old World and spread naturally from Africa to northern South America in the 19th century from where it spread to North America. The glossy ibis was first found in the New World in 1817 (New Jersey). Audubon saw the species just once in Florida in 1832. It expanded its range substantially northwards in the 1940s and to the west in the 1980s. This species is migratory most European birds winter in Africa and in North America birds from north of the Carolinas winter farther south. Though generally suspected to be a migratory species in India the glossy ibis is resident in western India. Birds from other populations may disperse widely outside the breeding season. While generally declining in Europe it has recently established a breeding colony in southern Spain and there appears to be a growing trend for the Spanish birds to winter in Britain and Ireland with at least 22 sightings in 2010. In 2014 a pair attempted to breed in Lincolnshire the first such attempt in Britain  A few birds now spend most summers in Ireland but there is no present evidence of breeding. In New Zealand a few birds arrive there annually mostly in the month of July recently a pair bred amongst a colony of Royal Spoonbill.