Gould observed that 'There was a time when our country was much better adapted as a habitat for this bird than it is at present. The gradual draining of the Fens and the recovery and cultivation of much of the land bordering on our estuaries being detrimental to the existence of the Glossy Ibis, that and many other fen-birds, such as the Spoonbill, the Stork, and the Crane, no longer appear as formerly.' Gould added that the few vagrants which arrived were genrerally doomed due to 'the gunner and the collector not being able to resist the temptation of securing such prizes.'

The male is depicted slightly less than lifesize, and two young are behind.

DISTRIBUTION: Breeds very discontinuously from south Eurasia and south Asia, Malayasian Archipelago, west, east and south Africa, Madagascar, north, east and south Australia, east and southeast United States, northwest Costa Rica, Greater Antilles, and north Venezuela. Winters widely; most of European populations winter Africa south of the Sahara. Rare vagrant to Britain