Glossy Ibises occur in flocks, both at nesting colonies and when foraging. They typically feed by lowering the bill into water, mud, or soil, to feel for prey, and they often feed among many other species of wading birds.
The plumage appears dark, almost blackish, at a distance or in poor light. At close range, much of the body is maroon, with the wing coverts showing metallic green, bronze, and violet tones.
Glossy Ibises occur in flocks, both at nesting colonies and when foraging. They typically feed by lowering the bill into water, mud, or soil, to feel for prey, and they often feed among many other species of wading birds.
Glossy Ibises frequent almost any wetland environment with shallow water or exposed mud and also readily feeds in farm fields or open areas where soils are moist.
The glossy ibis is a heron-like bird with a long, curving beak. They breed in parts of southern and southeast Europe and are occasional visitors to the UK. However, in recent decades sightings here have become more common, mirroring an increase in their breeding population in southwest Europe.
Glossy Ibises are highly gregarious throughout their lives, feeding and resting in flocks and nesting in tight colonies where nests are usually no more than 2 feet apart. Pairs defend the immediate vicinity of their nest, attacking other ibises or herons that come too close, but otherwise are rarely aggressive.
Glossy Ibis are known to live for approximately eight years (Scott 1997), though the oldest record of the species is 14 years and 3 months (Clapp et al. 1982). Like other waterbirds, the species is likely to be sexually mature by one or two years of age (Scott 1997).
Predators of the Glossy Ibis are Birds of Prey and alligators.
The call is a long croak. The Australian white ibis reaches sexual maturity in three years, and can reach twenty-eight years of age.
The average Glossy Ibis is about 1.2 lbs and 23 in. in length with a 36 inch wingspan. The Glossy Ibis is a transient, found in Northern Virginia during migration. It inhabits wooded wetlands near the coast.
Basic Description. At distance, Glossy Ibises look uniformly dark, but a close look in good light reveals stunning colors: deep maroon, emerald, bronze, and violet. This long-legged, long-billed bird forages in flocks through wetlands and wet agricultural fields, searching for insects, small fish, and seeds.
The Glossy Ibis is the most cosmopolitan ibis, occurring in most of the world's tropical and temperate zones (Hancock et al. 1992). It is nowhere abundant, and in most parts of its range it is rare or locally common. Nevertheless, the world population is considerable, probably in the 100 000s (Rose & Scott 1994).
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