Glossy ibis
I.U.C.N status
International Union for Conservation of Nature
LC
Least concern
NT
Near threatened
VU
Vulnerable
EN
Endangered
CR
Critically endangered
EW
Extinct in the wild
EX
Extinct
Identity card
Class :
Birds
Order :
Pelecaniformes
Family :
Threskiornithidae
Genus :
Plegadis
Species :
falcinellus
Average size
66 cm / 80 to 95 cm (wingspan)
Weight
500 to 800 g
Longevity
20 years
Sexual maturity
3 to 4 years
Incubation
20 to 25 days
Clutch
3 to 4 eggs
Diet
Piscivore
Molluscs, worms, insects, fish, amphibians...
Did you know?
In flight, the glossy ibis is distinguished by its silhouette: an entirely dark body, long legs, an elongated neck, a long curved bill and broad wings. Its curved bill is adapted for probing in the mud to find the resources needed for its diet.
Threats and conservation
A protected species in Europe, its populations are declining due to the reduction of wetlands linked to drainage and agriculture. Pollution and hunting increase the pressures on already small populations. This species is protected throughout the national territory.
