Image: Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)

Description: Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) photographed in natural habitat, Tirunelveli, India. It is a near-threatened species of wading bird breeding in Asia from India to the west as far as Japan in the east. A large waterbird with adults measuring 65-76 cm in length, it is the only native ibis species in its range that has an overall white plumage starkly contrasted against a conspicuous naked black neck and head and a black, down-curved beak. Tails of adults bear light grey ornamental feathers that turn black during the breeding season, as can be seen here. Like storks and spoonbills, it lacks a true voice-producing mechanism and is silent except for ventriloquistic grunts uttered by pairs at the nest. A versatile species that uses a large variety of natural and man-made habitats including freshwater and saltwater marshes, lakes and ponds, crop fields, irrigation canals, urban lakes and grazing lots, they are now categorized as Near Threatened (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as their population has declined considerably in southeast Asia.
Title: Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)
Credit: Own work
Author: Hari Krishnan
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
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