Threskiornithidae·Ordre des Pelecaniformes·Préoccupation mineure (LC) — Espèce protégée·📅 Updated:
The Glossy Ibis, bronze-winged wanderer of the Hyères lagoons
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
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An exotic curved-bill silhouette, shimmering with metallic bronze and purple reflections under the Mediterranean sun.
My field observations in the Var — sites, months and context
✓ Aug 2026 Synthesis (2 records)Captured in steady flight and probing muddy shallows across the Hyères salt marshes.
August 2026 Field Mapping Record:
📍Pins Maritimes Campsite (Hyères / Giens)(1 rec)📍Hyères (Surrounding marshes & Gapeau river)(1 rec)
Statut dans le Var : Migrateur et hivernant régulier en progression constante·Période privilégiée : Mai à Septembre
Commented in situ photo gallery
3 telephoto photographs taken in the Var department (Rule 11)
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Photo 1 / 3 — Salins d'Hyères / Giens, VarEn vol dans l'azur, long bec arqué et cou tendu
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Photo 2 / 3 — Salins des Pesquiers, Hyères, VarEn plein vol dans l'azur varois, long bec arqué vers l'avant
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Photo 3 / 3 — Vieux Salins d'Hyères, VarDécollage vigoureux au ras des roseaux et de la lagune
Recognizing the species on my photos — visible details
Length 55-65 cm with a slender downcurved bill and dark plumage revealing bronze and emerald green iridescence.
Habitat
Mudflats, shallow marshes, coastal salt pans and wet meadows.
Diet
Benthic invertebrates, marine worms, small crabs, and molluscs detected by touch.
Photographing the species: field experience
Low-angle morning sunlight is essential to bring out the glowing metallic iridescence of its plumage.
Remarkable facts & hide notes:
- •Its bill is packed with tactile nerve receptors allowing blind detection of prey deep in sediment.
- •Once rare in the Var, sightings have grown substantially thanks to coastal reserve conservation.
- •Flies in coordinated lines and shifting V-formations.
