Glossy Ibis

Plegadis falcinellus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPelecaniformes (Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies)
FamilyThreskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
GenusPlegadis (Plegadis Ibises)
SpeciesPlegadis falcinellus (Glossy Ibis)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Cape Range

1 Verified sightings at Cape Range From 2019 to 2026

16,297 Verified sightings across all 124 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Glossy Ibis

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.

The historical name black curlew was used for the glossy ibis in Norfolk at least until the early 19th century, and this name also appears in Anglo-Saxon literature. Yalden and Albarella do not mention this species as occurring in medieval England.

This is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean regions of the Americas. It is thought to have originated in the Old World and spread naturally from Africa to northern South America in the 19th century, from where it spread to North America. The glossy ibis was first documented in the New World in 1817 (New Jersey). Audubon saw the species just once in Florida in 1832. It expanded its range substantially northwards in the 1940s and to the west in the 1980s. This species is migratory; most European birds winter in Africa, and in North America... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Cape Range

Threskiornis molucca

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Egretta sacra

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

LC Endemic

Ardea alba

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Egretta novaehollandiae

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Pelecanus conspicillatus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Butorides striata

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Egretta garzetta

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Ardea modesta

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Nycticorax caledonicus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Ardea pacifica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 10 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~70%
2	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~70%
3	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~60%
4	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~50%
5	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~50%
6	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~40%
7	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~40%
8	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	~30%
9	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~30%
10	Kakadu National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~30%
11	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~30%
12	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
13	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
14	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
15	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
16	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
17	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~20%
18	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
19	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
20	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
21	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
22	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
23	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
24	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
25	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
26	Ankarafantsika National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	~10%
27	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
28	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	~10%
29	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
30	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
31	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~10%
32	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
33	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
34	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
35	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
36	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
37	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
38	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
39	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
40	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
41	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
42	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
43	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
44	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	<5%
45	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
46	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
47	Daintree National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
48	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
49	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
50	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
51	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%
52	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
53	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
54	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
55	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
56	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
57	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
58	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
59	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
60	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
61	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
62	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
63	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
64	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
65	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
66	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
67	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
68	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
69	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
70	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
71	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
72	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
73	Blue Mountains National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	<5%
74	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
75	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
76	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
77	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	Insufficient data
78	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
79	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
80	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	Insufficient data
81	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
82	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
83	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
84	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
85	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
86	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	Insufficient data
87	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
88	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
89	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
90	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
91	Litchfield National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
92	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
93	Cape Range	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
94	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	Insufficient data
95	Nitmiluk National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
96	Ningaloo Marine Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
97	Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park	🇯🇲 Jamaica	Insufficient data
98	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
99	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
100	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
101	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
102	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	Insufficient data
103	Grampians National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
104	Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
105	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
106	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Insufficient data
107	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
108	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
109	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
110	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
111	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
112	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
113	Abel Tasman National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	Insufficient data
114	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
115	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
116	Raja Ampat	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
117	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
118	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
119	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
120	Lamington National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
121	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
122	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
123	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
124	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data

← Back to Cape Range

Glossy Ibis

About the Glossy Ibis

Closest Relatives at Cape Range

Australian White Ibis

Pacific Reef Heron

Great Egret

White-faced Heron

Australian Pelican

Striated Heron

Little Egret

Ardea modesta

Nankeen Night-Heron

White-necked Heron

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found