Glossy Ibis Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesGlossy Ibis
Juvenile
Forages in shallow marshes by probing into the mud with its curved bill to catch aquatic invertebrates.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, April 01, 2007Not all videos have sound
Juvenile
Juveniles are duller brown overall with some white streaking on the neck. Note dark underparts.
© Rogério Rodrigues / Macaulay LibraryLisboa, July 27, 2017Breeding adult
Flies with neck outstretched and legs trailing behind. Wings, lower back, and tail are metallic shades of green, rust, and purple, but it often appears all dark, especially at a distance.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 27, 2012Juvenile
Flies with neck outstretched, sometimes drooping slightly. Juveniles are all dark below.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryCataluña, July 02, 2018Breeding adult
Large, long-legged wading bird with a football-shaped body and a long curved bill. Adults are rich chestnut with metallic green wings. Breeding birds have dark facial skin with pale lines extending from the bill to the eye, but not around the eye.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, April 10, 2017Breeding adult (with White-faced Ibis)
Large wading bird with a rich chestnut-colored body. The other 3 birds are White-faced Ibis—note they have white going all the way around the eye, bare pink facial skin, and reddish legs.
© Ryan O'Donnell / Macaulay LibraryUtah, April 28, 2014Nonbreeding adult
Found in freshwater marshes, saltmarshes, mudflats, mangroves, and flooded fields.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibrarySous-Massa-Draa, January 09, 2015Similar SpeciesWhite-faced Ibis
Breeding adult
White-faced Ibises have a white border that goes all the way around the eye and a bare patch of pink skin in front of the eye that Glossy Ibis do not have.
© Patrick MONNEY / Macaulay LibraryArizona, April 27, 2014Similar SpeciesWhite-faced Ibis
Nonbreeding adult/immature
Immature/nonbreeding White-faced Ibises are very similar to Immature Glossy Ibis and sometimes cannot be separated, especially at a distance. At close range, look for the White-faced Ibis's red eye and the Glossy Ibis's brown eye.
© DigiBirdTrek CA / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 26, 2017Similar SpeciesWhite Ibis
Juvenile
Juvenile White Ibises look similar to juvenile Glossy Ibises, but they have white (not dark) underparts.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, July 22, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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