Glossy Ibis look-alikes
Plegadis falcinellus
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Open the appSeveral birds can be mistaken for the Glossy Ibis. Compare the key differences below to confirm your sighting.
Birds to compare
White-faced Ibis
Plegadis chihi
Key differences
The White-faced Ibis is very similar in size and shape. Key differences are the white feathering around the bare facial skin (reddish in breeding plumage) and red eyes in the White-faced Ibis, compared to the Glossy Ibis's dark eyes and pale blue-grey facial line (without white feathering). Leg color is also typically redder in breeding White-faced Ibis.
Puna Ibis
Plegadis ridgwayi
Key differences
Found only in the Andes. Similar dark plumage but has a distinctive red eye and a patch of bare red skin at the base of the bill, lacking the pale facial line of the Glossy Ibis.
Straw-necked Ibis
Threskiornis spinicollis
Key differences
Found in Australia. Larger, with a white body, black head and neck, and distinctive straw-like plumes on the neck. Its bill is also decurved but the overall plumage pattern is very different.
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