Glossy ibis
Class: Birds
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Threskiornithidae
Genus: Plegadis
Species: Falcinellus
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, pools, swamps, shallow rivers with tree-lined banks
Size / Wingspan: 66 cm / 80 to 95 cm
Longevity: 20 years
Weight: 500 to 800 kg
Sexual Maturity: 3-4 years
Incubation: 20-25 days
Clutch: 3-4 eggs
Diet: Piscivorous, mollusks, worms, insects, fish, amphibians, etc.
Protection Status: IUCN Status CR – Least Concern
Description
In flight, the glossy Ibis is characterized by its silhouette:an entirely dark body, long legs, elongated neck, longcurved beak and broad wings. Its curved beak is adapted to foraging in the mud to find the resources it needs to feed.
Threats and preservation
A Europe-wide protected species, its populations are declining due to the loss of wet lands as a result of drainage and agriculture. Pollution and hunting
increase the pressure on already small populations.
