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Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) Alternate name(s): Misnomer: "Black Curlew" Size: 48-66 cm; wing span: 80-105 cm Weight: 485-970 g

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Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Glossy Ibises are medium-sized aquatic birds. During the breeding season they have glossy brown plumage on the head, neck and back, while the iridescent wing feathers produce a greenish-black sheen. In eclipse both head and neck lose their glossy appearance and become duller, with greyish streaks. Also the facial border becomes less pronounced. The irises are dark. The long, down-curved bill, the legs and feet are greyish-brown. At a distance, or depending on light conditions, Glossy Ibises can appear to look turquoise-brown, dark-brown or all-black, especially when seen with illumination from behind. Juvenile Glossy Ibises have a greyish streaked head and neck, similar to non-breeding adults.

Taxonomy, classification See Glossy Ibis at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Glossy Ibis is available HERE . Glossy Ibises are globally the most widespread species of ibis. They were originally found in (parts of) Europe, the Middle East, Arabia, Asia, Africa and Australia. Quite recently (in the 19th century) they have made the jump from western Africa to Brazil and from there started colonizing the Americas (mostly central and northern America). Within this range they have a preference for temperate to warm climate zones and they are highly migratory and dispersive. Although less common in Australia than other species of ibis, Glossy Ibises are found over much of the Australian continent, including Tasmania. They are not found in the major deserts of the interior, i.e. the eastern half of WA, the western half of SA and the south-eastern corner of the NT. In other parts of the semi-arid interior and the western half of WA they are present only when there is sufficient surface water, normally after major rainfall events. Glossy Ibises are usually found in various types of freshwater wetlands and grassland, including ephemeral wetlands such as flooded grassland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Glossy Ibises are relatively uncommon around Narrabri, NSW. A group of five Glossy Ibises was first seen by us in Narrabri after rainfall in late October 2007, in a floodway near Narrabri Lake. Since then, they are seen by us semi-regularly in and around Narrabri, and in other areas farther inland in north-western NSW. Their numbers usually range from one to about 20. A pair of Glossy Ibises was, for example, observed at Macquarie Marshes NR in April 2011. They are also found regularly in various wetlands, including the Gwydir Wetlands, near Moree, NSW. In the Gwydir Wetlands Glossy Ibises are also known to breed. J. Greaves reports spotting Glossy Ibises occasionally in the area of Perth, WA. One Glossy Ibis was also seen by J. Greaves at Yellow Water billabong, Kakadu NP, NT, in November 2014. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Glossy Ibises in various locations around the Top End of the NT, including Yellow Water, in October 2015. In March 2015 we spotted a single Glossy Ibis just to the North of Urunga, NSW. M. Eaton reports spotting Glossy Ibises semi-regularly in various wetlands along the coastal fringe of south-eastern QLD. The species was also found at Lake Moondarra, near Mount Isa, QLD, in June 2025. A flock of several hundred Glossy Ibises was found at Cuttaburra Crossing, near Bedourie, QLD, in July 2026. M. Windeyer reports finding a small flock of Glossy Ibises at Tiger Bay Wetlands, Warren, NSW, in October 2017. Glossy Ibises are found occasionally by P. Brown in various locations near Darwin, NT. R. Plumtree reports finding Glossy Ibises at Lake Cullen, VIC. This location is near the southern end of the species' range. C. Pears reports spotting Glossy Ibises at Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, most regularly in autumn/winter. Glossy Ibises were also seen by us in Europe and in Oman.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Frontal view of a Glossy Ibises in breeding plumage walking towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Tiger Bay Wetlands, Warren, NSW, October 2017]

Frontal view of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage
[Near Urunga, NSW, March 2015]

Near-lateral view of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Black Duck Reserve, Murrumba Downs, QLD, September 2017]

Lateral view of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Black Duck Reserve, Murrumba Downs, QLD, September 2017]

Lateral view of a preening Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2020]

Lateral view of a moulting Glossy Ibis, making it look like a "Bald-necked Ibis" (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Lake Cullen, VIC, November 2018]

Lateral view of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage with its bill wide open
[40 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Black Duck Reserve, Murrumba Downs, QLD, September 2017]

Dorsal view of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage
[40 km S of Mungindi, NSW, January 2023]

Direct comparison of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage with Australian White Ibises
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2017]

Lateral view of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage; this comparison with Grey Teals shows clearly that Glossy Ibises are in essence duck-sized birds with a long bill, neck and legs
[Near Urunga, NSW, March 2015]

Frontal view of a Glossy Ibis in flight
[Between Burren Junction and Pilliga, NSW, August 2024]

Near-lateral view of a mob of Glossy Ibis in flight
[Between Burren Junction and Pilliga, NSW, August 2024]

Lateral/ventral view of a Glossy Ibis in breeding plumage in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Lateral view of a mob of Glossy Ibis in flight, wings up
[Between Burren Junction and Pilliga, NSW, August 2024]

Lateral view of a mob of Glossy Ibis in flight, wings flat
[Between Burren Junction and Pilliga, NSW, August 2024]

NON-BREEDING

Near-frontal view of a Glossy Ibis in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Moondarra, near Mount Isa, QLD, June 2025]

Close-up (near-)lateral view of 4 resting Glossy Ibises in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a Glossy Ibis in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, July 2025]

Close-up lateral view of a Glossy Ibis in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Moondarra, near Mount Isa, QLD, June 2025]

Close-up lateral view of a Glossy Ibis in non-breeding plumage stretching its wings (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a Glossy Ibis in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Knuckey Lagoon, Darwin, NT, November 2018]

Close-up lateral view of two Glossy Ibises in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2015]

Close-up lateral view of Glossy Ibises foraging on grassland (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2015]

Near-dorsal view of Glossy Ibises (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, November 2018]

Close-up dorsal view of a Glossy Ibis in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, July 2025]

Mob of resting Glossy Ibises in non-breeding plumage; who can spot the Black Swan? (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2024]

Close-up comparison of a Glossy Ibis in non-breeding plumage with a Eurasian Coot (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, July 2026]

Comparison of a Glossy Ibis with an Australian (Purple) Swamphen (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2015]

Comparison of a Glossy Ibis with two Radjah Shelducks (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[McMinns Lagoon, near Darwin, NT, September 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Glossy Ibis looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Lateral view of 5 Glossy Ibises comprising 3 adults (brown heads) and 2 juvenile birds (grey heads; second and third from the right); in the foreground a Pacific Black Duck
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2016]

Near-dorsal view of two Glossy Ibises banking to land; adult in breeding plumage, front left, and juvenile, far right
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, March 2016]

Additional information

More photos of Glossy Ibises were obtained by us in Oman.

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal?

Mobility: Dispersive

Elementary unit: Family clan/flock

Glossy Ibises usually appear in small numbers, with only moderate flock sizes, but up to a few hundred birds have been found by us in one place. Like many migratory/dispersive bird species, Glossy Ibises know how to reduce air resistance by flying in skeins, that is a formation in the form of a chevron.

Large flock of Glossy Ibises, together with other aquatic species (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cuttaburra Crossing, near Bedourie, QLD, July 2026]

Small flock of Glossy Ibises (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2023]

Part of a small flock of Glossy Ibises (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2023]

Small flock of Glossy Ibises in breeding plumage with juveniles (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Tiger Bay Wetlands, Warren, NSW, October 2017]

Part of a small flock of Glossy Ibises in flight (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, May 2023]

Lateral/ventral view of a skein of Glossy Ibises in flight in a chevron formation
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2015]

Lateral/ventral view of a skein of Glossy Ibises in flight in a chevron formation
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2015]

Food, Diet

Ibises feed on small animals, from insects to leeches, moluscs, mussles and crustaceans, that they pull out of mud or soft soil.

Lateral view of an adult Glossy Ibis (left) and two immature birds feeding in shallow water, with an Australian White Ibis for comparison
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

We will try to replace this poor recording with a better one as soon as possible.

glibis_20161221.mp3

(N NSW)

Warning/departure (partial recording)

© MD

More Glossy Ibis sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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