Glossy Ibis

By Carl

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiformes Family: Threskiornithidae
Genus: Pleagadis
Species: P. falcinellus

Physical Description

I
]The glossy Ibis has a long curved beak. The beak is black and a little pinkish at the end of it. They have brown eyes with white on the outside. The front of the head is black, with tan on the top. The back of the head and neck is reddish orange. The wings are dark blue a tiny purple and a little green on the side of its wings. The legs that are bent backwards right in the middle of his legs.

Diet and Feeding Habits

The glossy Ibis usually feeds on aquatic invertebrates such as crayfish, insects, insect larvae, earthworms, fish, snails, leeches, spiders, snakes, small vertebrates and, occasionally, aquatic vegetation.

Reproduction

Breeding occurs during the summer months. The nest is a compact platform of twigs or reeds, situated in a tree, bush or reedbed. The Glossy Ibis is a colonial nester, often nesting together in mixed heronries with other species

Habitat

The glossy Ibis's breeding habitat is freshwater wetlands, including ponds, swamps and marshes with pockets of emergent vegetation. They also use flooded hay meadows and agricultural fields as feeding locations. Ibises nest in areas where water surrounds emergent vegetation, bushes, shrubs, or low trees. Glossy Ibises usually use old stems in cattails, hardstem bulrush or alkali bulrush over shallow water as their nesting habitat. Water conditions usually determine whether nesting occurs in a particular area. There, Glossy Ibis nesting sites can often move around from year to year. However, they are a fairly adaptable species and the primary breeding requirement is colony and roosting site isolation. During migration, Glossy Ibises use more varied habitats for resting and feeding sites, ranging from wooded streams, mudflats, and grassy fields to small marshes and sewage ponds.

Role in the Ecosystem

The glossy ibis has an very important role in the ecosystem. The glossy ibis eats fish and snails and other things to lower their populations. The glossy ibis provides food for hawks, foxes, and even snapping turtles.

Bibliography

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i1860id.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangweulu_Wetlands_ecosystem

http://www.mainebirding.net/birds/Ibises

http://www.maineaudubon.org/nature/feeding.shtml