# Glossy Ibis

Scientific name: Plegadis falcinellus

Bird group: [threskiornithidae](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/threskiornithidae)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/174/Glossy-Ibis

## Identification

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.
This species is a mid-sized ibis. It is 48–66 cm (19–26 in) long, averaging around 59.4 cm (23.4 in) with an 80–105 cm (31–41 in) wingspan.[12][13] The culmen measures 9.7 to 14.4 cm (3.8 to 5.7 in) in length, each wing measures 24.8–30.6 cm (9.8–12.0 in), the tail is 9–11.2 cm (3.5–4.4 in) and the tarsus measures 6.8–11.3 cm (2.7–4.4 in).[13] The body mass of this ibis can range from 485 to 970 g (1.069 to 2.138 lb).[13] Breeding adults have reddish-brown bodies and shiny bottle-green wings. Non-breeders and juveniles have duller bodies. This species has a brownish bill, dark facial skin bordered above and below in blue-gray (non-breeding) to cobalt blue (breeding), and red-brown legs. Unlike herons, ibises fly with necks outstretched, their flight being graceful and often in V formation. It also has shiny feathers.


## Distribution and habitat

The Glossy Ibis occurs worldwide including the West 
Indies, where it is irregular 
and very local in Puerto Rico 
(Raffaele and others 1998). 
Before the early 2000s, this 
species was considered a rare 
visitor until it was confirmed to 
be nesting in the municipality 
of Arecibo (J.A. Salguero-Faría, 
personal observation 2009). It 
has expanded throughout coastal 
wetlands and now can be seen 
in fl ocks that number hundreds 
of birds (J.A. Salguero-Faría, 
personal observation 2009). 
This species occurs in lowland 
habitats (Oberle 2018) including 
mud fl ats and marshy savannas (Raffaele and others 1998). The 
atlas fieldwork yielded a total of 
27 records within 13 hexagons 
or 3 percent of the 479 total 
hexagons (see map). Of the 13 
hexagons where this species 
was found, breeding met the 
atlas definition of confirmed in 
15 percent (2) of the hexagons, 
while the species was observed 
in 85 percent (11) of the 
hexagons but without evidence 
of breeding (see map). Glossy Ibis distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding. 

## Breeding

The Glossy Ibis nests in colonies and constructs the nest near 
water, principally from June to 
August, according to previously 
published reports (Raffaele and       165Glossy Ibis/Ibis Lustrosoothers 1998). The two instances of reported Glossy Ibis breeding 
in Puerto Rico occurred in 
the month of June (see chart). 
Results show that the Glossy Ibis 
breeds within the subtropical 
moist forest life zone (100 
percent of the hexagons) (see 
table and map).

## Conservation

The population trend for the Glossy Ibis across its distribution 
range is described as decreasing, mainly due to wetland habitat 
degradation and loss, but it 
is listed as a species of least 
concern by the IUCN (BirdLife 
International 2019). Locally, this 
species is listed as Data Deficient 
(PRDNER 2015). In Puerto Rico, 
the Glossy Ibis has a protected 
habitat in land of 15 percent or 
7 km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons where evidence 
of breeding was found for this 
species (~48 km2).

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_174_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_174_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.