The migratory glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) – named for its shiny bottle-green wings – is a wading bird whose scientific name derives from Ancient Greek plegados and Latin, falcis, both meaning sickle and referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. It is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean regions of the Americas. The plumage appears dark, almost blackish, at a distance or in poor light. At close range, much of the body is maroon, with the wing coverts showing metallic green, bronze, and violet tones. The Glossy Ibis nests colonially in trees, often with herons. It is also gregarious when feeding in marshy wetlands; it preys on fish, frogs and other water creatures, as well as occasionally on insects.
