As spring comes, several glossy ibises (Plegadis falcinellus) under first-class national protection appeared at Erhai Lake in Dali to forage for food. Their beaks look like a machete. They have slender bodies and fabulous chest-nut purple features shining with a metallic sheen under the sun and changing colors with different angles of the sun. 

Glossy ibis is inhabiting warm areas close to rivers, lakes, and swamps. They prefer to live in groups, feeding on aquatic insects, shrimps, shells, mollusks, and other small invertebrates. Due to reduced habitats and environmental pollution, glossy ibis is on the verge of extinction worldwide and belongs to the CITES Appendix III species of the Washington Convention.

Glossy ibis making a debut in Erhai Lake shows that nowadays, Erhai Lake has an excellent ecological environment as it meets the standard of habits of rare birds. The blue sky, green mountains, and lucid water provide a good habit and sufficient food source for glossy ibises, attracting an increasing number of visitors, which is of great significance to studying local biodiversity and the change of ecological environment.

Click here to view Chinese report

(Editors: Ines, Rachel)