Bird of the Week – Glossy ibis
The bird's Zulu name is umXwegele and in Afrikaans, glansibis.
By BRUCE MUNRO
THE glossy ibis is found almost worldwide, however in South Africa it is absent from the dry western parts.
They are usually silent but have a croaking ‘graa-graa-graa’ voice in flight, which is bouyant and graceful.
While locally common to rare, it is increasing in numbers in South Africa.
They favour a habitat of shallow inland waters and neighbouring wet grasslands. Glossy Ibis are found solitary or gregarious in flocks of up to 40 birds. They roost communally in trees or on the ground.
They forage by probing in the mud while walking slowly, feeding on insects, worms, molluscs, fish, frogs and small reptiles.
The breeding season is from September to March. They lay two to three bright blue eggs in a nest which is a compact platform of twigs or reeds.
Their incubation period is 20 to 23 days, nestling for about 21 days and flying by 42 days.
The bird’s Zulu name is umXwegele and in Afrikaans, glansibis.
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