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Plegadis falcinellus

(Glossy Ibis)

Overview:

Conservation Status

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Population Analysis

  • For the 56,576 species in the Class Aves (Birds), we average 371.87 observations each in our database; for the Glossy Ibis, we have 8,243 observations. Compared to other species in this Class, this species is moderately common.
  • A two-sample t-test can be used to determine whether the trend in observations of the Glossy Ibis is the same as the trend in observations of Aves. Is this species just as common, as a proportion of all observations, as it once was? The answer is no, changes in observation rate of this species significantly differ from changes in observation rate of its Class. (t=53.04, p<0.001)
  • How do observation rates of the Glossy Ibis differ from those of Aves? To answer this, we examined the percentage of observerations for Aves that were observations of the Glossy Ibis each year. We then correlated this percentage with observation year. If observations of the Glossy Ibis are becoming more common relative to other species of Aves, the correlation should be positive, but if it is becoming less common, the correlation should be negative. In fact, the correlation is negative (r=-.06), with a negative slope (m = -.000), suggesting that the Glossy Ibis may be in decline relative to other species of Aves. This correlation is statistically significant. (F = 32.75, p<.05)
  • The scatter chart to the right shows the percentage of all observations for Aves each year that were observations of the Glossy Ibis.

History:

  • 1988-Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004)
  • 1994-Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2004)
  • 2000-Lower Risk/least concern (BirdLife International 2000)

Justification

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 1,000,000¿10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 1,100,000-3,300,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Taxonomy

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  • Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
    • Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758 - Linnaeus, 1758 - animals

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 17-Oct-2001.

Physical Description

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Adult:

Head: metallic green and purple gloss Face: Eye Color: dark Lores: dark gray bordered with pale blue Bill: brownish black Curvature: decurved Neck: metallic green and purple gloss Body: Back: metallic green and purple gloss.

Size/Age/Growth:

About 19 to 26 inches long, with a wingspan of 36 to 38 inches.

Images:

Distribution

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Range and Population

North America; Caribbean

Habitat

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Vegetation: freshwater marshes • Minimum Elevation: 0 meters • Maximum Elevation: 0 meters • Foraging Strata: Water • Center of Abundance: Lower tropical: lowlands, lower than 500 m.; tropics. • Relative Abundance in Tropical America: Uncommon • Sensitivity to Disturbance: Low.

Diet

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Almost exclusively aquatic invertebrates, with a few reptiles or amphibians.

Reproduction

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  • Breeding Habitat: Wetland-open water
  • Clutch Size: 3-4
  • Length of Incubation: 21 days
  • Days to Fledge: 28+
  • Number of Broods: 1

Migration

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Migratory

Similar Species

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White-Faced Ibis, White Ibis. Note dull bill, gray facial skin, brown eye, and grayish-yellow legs, all of which distinguish this species from White-faced Ibis

Members of the genus Plegadis:

There are approximately 11 species and subspecies in this genus: P. albus · P. chihi (White-Faced Ibis) · P. chihi mexicana · P. falcinellus (Glossy Ibis) · P. falcinellus falcinellus (Glossy Ibis) · P. falcinellus guarauna · P. falcinellus peregrinus · P. falcinellus ssp · P. gracilis · P. ridgwayi (Puna Ibis) · P. ruber

Bibliography

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  • Alsop, Fred J. III. Birds of North America - Eastern Region. First American Edition. Smithsonian Handbooks. DK Publishing, Inc. 2001.
  • Banks, R. C., R. W. McDiarmid, A. L. Gardner, and W. C. Starnes 2003. Checklist of Vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada.
  • BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, U.K.
  • Ehrlich, P., Dobkin, D., and Wheye, D. (1988). The Birders Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc. (info on clutch size, length of incubation, days to fledge and number of broods.)
  • Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc. (Length and wingspan info.)

More Info

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Notes

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Contributors:

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 27, 2007:

Identifiers:

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Last Revised: May 15, 2008