Migratory bird (mostly in spring: late February – April, autumn: end of August – October) for Cyprus and Akamas peninsula. It uses mostly the shoreline during its migration through Cyprus (similar to herons).

It breeds in few suitable areas on the island. Part of the species population that lives in a large part of sub-Saharan Africa and along river Nile’s valley and estuary in the Mediterranean, migrates mainly in part of SE Europe and western Asia where it breeds. It belongs to the family of Ibises and Spoonbills, that fly with an extended neck and legs, unlike the herons which have their neck retracted in an S shape.

Its wingbeats are also noticeably faster than the herons. It migrates in flocks of variable size (sometimes in big flocks of up to few hundred) and often in lines with a wavy pattern. A medium sized bird with long neck and legs and a characteristic long and downward curved beak. Color is dark glossy-brown, often with greenish shade on wings.