Glossy ibis
The glossy ibis is a wading bird found worldwide, recognized for its striking glossy feathers that exhibit a metallic sheen in shades of purple, green, and bronze. Typically measuring between 19 to 26 inches (48 to 66 centimeters) in length, the ibis has a long, slender, curved bill and colorful wings that span 31 to 41 inches (80 to 105 centimeters). These birds are commonly found in shallow lakes, rivers, mud flats, and marshes, where they forage for insects, crustaceans, and small amphibians along the water’s edge.
Glossy ibises typically breed in colonies, where both parents construct nests from twigs and reeds, elevated about 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 7.5 meters) above ground or water. The female lays three to four blue-green eggs, which both parents incubate. The chicks are mobile shortly after hatching and gradually gain independence as they mature. While their populations have declined due to habitat loss, the glossy ibis is not currently considered threatened and has an average lifespan of 14 to 16 years.
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Glossy ibis
The glossy ibis can be found throughout the world. The glossy ibis is one of the world's wading birds which uses its long, slender bill to find food in the mud. Its name comes from the appearance of its glossy, dark feathers which may have a purple, green, or bronze metallic sheen to them.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Threskiornithidae
Genus: Plegadis
Species: Falcinellus
The glossy ibis receives its name from the glossy, metallic, sheen of its purple, bronze, and green plumage. Most of the bird's body has purple-brown feathers with various patches of green and bronze. The ibis's neck is brownish bronze. Its body is 19 to 26 inches (48 to 66 centimeters) long, including its long, slender, curved bill. When it is standing straight the bird is slightly shorter than this length. The ibis may weigh one to two pounds (1/2 to one kilogram). Its colorful wings span 31 to 41 inches (80 to 105 centimeters).
Shallow lakes, rivers, mud flats, and marshes are the places to observe small flocks of glossy ibises. Most often they inhabit lowland areas, but some may also live at elevations up to 6,500 feet (1,950 meters) in southwestern Asia. With their long bills poking about in the mud they wade about along shores and shallows on their long, green-brown legs during the day. They tend to avoid deep or fast-flowing water. Insects and their larvae disappear quickly into the bills of the birds. Common foods are grasshoppers, crickets, dragonflies, water beetles, and caddis flies. The mud and water also yield worms, crustaceans, small amphibians, fish, and reptiles. The search for food may take the ibises great distances.
Breeding season comes at no set time for all birds across their range but varies between locations. Breeding colonies of ibises are most often fairly quiet, but they may sometimes chatter, croak, grunt, or caw like crows. The male and female take two days to build their nest of twigs, reeds, and plants. Nests within the colony are typically 15 to 25 feet (4 1/2 to 7 1/2 meters) above the ground in a tree or an equal distance above the waterline among bushes or reeds. A female lays three to four blue-green eggs which both parents incubate during the 20 to 23 days before they hatch. At two weeks of age the young walk from the nest to test their long legs, but they still depend on their parents for food. After seven weeks they are able to fly. The family remains together and hunts for food together. Mating for the first time comes when the young birds reach three years of age.
Birds of prey and alligators are two animals that may prey on the glossy ibis. The life span of the glossy ibis is between 14 and 16 years. The population and range of glossy ibises have shrunk during recent years due to the draining and clearing of their habitats. However, the glossy ibis is not considered a threatened species.
Bibliography
Falterbauer, Lynne. “Glossy Ibis Overview.” All About Birds, 2024, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Glossy‗Ibis/overview. Accessed 31 Mar. 2024.
Polan, Jason. “Glossy Ibis - Audubon Field Guide.” National Audubon Society, 2024, www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/glossy-ibis. Accessed 31 Mar. 2024.