Glossy Ibis
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| Glossy Ibis | ||||||||||||||
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| Missing image Glossyibis06.jpg | ||||||||||||||
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| Plegadis falcinellus (Linnaeus, 1766) |
The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.
This is the most widespread ibis species, found in subtropical Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is also found in the Caribbean and along the U.S. coast from Texas to Maine. It is thought to have originated in the Old World and spread naturally from Africa to northern South America in the 19th century. This is a migratory species, with most European birds wintering in Africa.
The Glossy ibis nests colonially in trees, often with herons. It is also gregarious when feeding in marshy wetlands; it predates on fish, frogs and other water creatures, as well as occasionally on insects.
Breeding adults have reddish-brown bodies and shiny bottle-green wings. Non-breeders and juveniles have duller bodies. This species has a brownish bill and red-brown legs. Unlike herons, ibises fly with necks outstretched and often flocks fly in lines.
Sounds made by this ibis include a variety of croaks and grunts made when breeding.nl:Zwarte ibis pl:Ibis kasztanowaty