Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPelecaniformes (Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies)
- FamilyThreskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
- GenusPlegadis (Plegadis Ibises)
- SpeciesPlegadis falcinellus (Glossy Ibis)
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 Saguaro National Park
White-faced Ibis
Plegadis chihi
Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
Great Egret
Ardea alba
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Green Heron
Butorides virescens
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibis
American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
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
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Glossy Ibis in Saguaro National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Glossy Ibis sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Glossy Ibis in Saguaro National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Glossy Ibis in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.