Bird guideGlossy Ibis

It disappeared as a regular breeding bird in Spain in the early 20th century, but with legal protection re-established itself in 1993 and has since rapidly increased with thousands of pairs in several colonies.

⚠️WA: Rare
🍃Indigenous: A-Girijigiriji, Birndu, Black Curlew

At a glance

FamilyIbises and Spoonbills
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
HabitatUsually gregarious, it is found mainly in salty marshes and shallow wetlands.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from September to January.

Sounds

Sound sample
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Recorded by Esperanza Poveda

Range map

Range map

2723visible hotspots
52228visible records
5states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

Long, curved bill. Adults mostly dark with iridescent green and reddish tones. Very thin white border surrounding the dark facial skin. Dark eyes. Unmistakable in most of its range, though American birds are best distinguished from White-faced Ibis by distribution and facial pattern.

Behavior

Usually gregarious, it is found mainly in salty marshes and shallow wetlands.

Regional timing

New South Wales
Peak: October to November9,152 records
Queensland
Peak: September to January24,422 records
Western Australia
Peak: June to March2,079 records
Northern Territory
Peak: September to October8,374 records
South Australia
Peak: October to February1,046 records
Victoria
Peak: October to January6,555 records
Australian Capital Territory
Peak: October to November565 records
Tasmania
Peak: January35 records

Commonly confused with

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