Long-distance Dispersal of the Afro-Eurasian Glossy Ibis From Ring Recoveries

The Glossy Ibis is among the most widespread bird species in the world. However, the Glossy Ibis erratic occurrence and distribution makes it a difficult species to study, and we know little about its dispersal and metapopulation dynamics. This study summarises previously-scattered and unpublished information by collating, in a single database, the largest number of longdistance recoveries ever reached for this species (190 individuals). Our findings suggest that (i) according to old records (about 1910 - 1995) the dispersal from the breeding grounds in East Europe was directed towards the Sahelian floodplains, North-East Africa, the Middle East and India; (ii) West and East Europe populations are probably connected; (iii) the recently (about 1995 onwards) increasing and spreading populations in West Europe do not tend to migrate south and overwinter in Sub-Saharan Africa; and, (iv) the genetic distance between geographically distant populations might be low considering the records of long-distance flights with the most impressive, and unpublished, one being that of an individual moving from Spain to the Virgin Islands (> 6,000 Km). Overall, these findings highlight the need for a research network capable of dealing with the frequent changes in the distribution and dispersal dynamics of the Glossy Ibis and its fast responses to environmental changes.