Glossy Ibis

The glossy ibis is a mid-sized ibis, 48–66cm long with a wingspan of 80–105cm and a weight of 485–970g, with a sickle-shaped bill: both its genus and species names refer to that shape. Breeding adults have reddish-brown bodies. It was once called the black curlew in parts of England (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is the most widespread ibis, breeding in scattered places in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Atlantic and Caribbean Americas. It is thought to have originated in the Old World and to have spread naturally from Africa to South America in the 19th century. It is migratory in much of its range, with most European birds wintering in Africa, and birds from other populations may disperse widely after breeding. SoIB 2023 lists it as resident in India with a very large range, estimates a long-term increase of about 184% with a stable current trend, and rates it a Low conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).