Glossy Ibis
Glossy IbisGlossy IbisGlossy IbisGlossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Plegadis falcinellus

Silhouette: Mathieu Pélissié · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
658 Verified sightings at Ngorongoro Conservation Area From 2019 to 2026
16,297 Verified sightings across all 124 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 Ngorongoro Conservation Area

African Sacred Ibis
LC

African Sacred Ibis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
African Spoonbill
LC

African Spoonbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Platalea alba

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Hadada
LC

Hadada

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bostrychia hagedash

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Black-headed Heron
LC

Black-headed Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea melanocephala

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Grey Heron
LC

Grey Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea cinerea

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Cattle Egret
LC

Cattle Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bubulcus ibis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Hamerkop
LC

Hamerkop

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Scopus umbretta

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Great White Pelican
LC

Great White Pelican

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Little Egret
LC

Little Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta garzetta

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Great Egret
LC

Great Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea alba

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
intermediate egret

intermediate egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta intermedia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Squacco Heron
LC

Squacco Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardeola ralloides

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

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 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
104 Grampians 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 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
123 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
124 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Glossy Ibis in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Glossy Ibis sighting in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, based on 658 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Glossy Ibis in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?

July has the highest sighting rate for Glossy Ibis in Ngorongoro Conservation Area in our monthly data.

← Back to Ngorongoro Conservation Area