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Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Ciconiiformes Family Threskiornithidae Genus Threskiornis

Also known as: Asian white ibis, Indian black-necked ibis, Indian white ibis, Oriental black necked ibis, Oriental ibis, Oriental white ibis, white ibis.

Description The black-headed ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) is a large, white waterbird with a prominent bare black head and neck, and a long, down-curved black bill. The body of this species is elongated but robust.

The tail of the black-headed ibis bears grey ornamental feathers, in contrast to its close relative the African sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), in which these feathers are black.

Both the male and female black-headed ibis are similar in size and appearance. During the breeding season, bare patches under the wings turn a blood red colour, the head can develop a blue tinge and the legs often become glossy black. The breeding adult also develops a loose ruff of white feathers on the lower neck and sometimes a yellowish wash on the breast and back.

Juvenile black-headed ibises have grey feathers on the head and a white neck, and it is three years before the full adult plumage is acquired.

The black-headed ibis is usually a silent bird, but when males and females are courting they are known for their loud booming calls and low grunting.

Ibis is a wading bird that belongs to the family of ibises and spoonbills. There are roughly 30 species of ibis that can be found around the world (they are especially numerous in the southern hemisphere). Ibis inhabits salt marshes, swamps, areas near the lakes and rivers, tropical mangroves, forests and marshy mountain meadows. Pollution of the water with pesticides, uncontrolled hunt and habitat destruction are the major threats for the survival of ibises in the wild. Some species, such as crested ibis and northern bald ibis, are on the list of endangered and critically endangered species. Ibis are a group of birds that are found all over the world. Ibis are most well known for their long necks and beaks which help them to get food out of the water.

The ibis is found inhabiting areas where there are large amounts of water. The ibis enjoys to eat aquatic animals so it prefers to be in areas such as swamps, marshes and wetlands where food is in abundance.

Ibis are generally very sociable birds that gather together in large flocks both to feed and to find a partner during the mating season. Despite their relatively large size, many species of ibis rest in the safety of the trees and not on the ground.

Although the ibis is an omnivorous bird that eats both plants and animals, when there are plenty of aquatic species about, the ibis has more carnivorous diet. The ibis hunts fish, insects, small reptiles, frogs, small mammals and crabs, which the ibis picks out of the mud using it's long and pointed beak.

Due to the relatively large size of the ibis, it has few natural predators besides large birds of prey that often steal the eggs of the ibis, or the young. Snakes are known to eat the ibis around the world, along with wild cats and foxes.

During the mating season, the female ibis builds a nest in the trees that is made out of sticks and reeds. Ibis commonly nest close to a large amount of water such as a river or a lake, with other water-birds such as herons.

The female ibis lays up to the 3 eggs which hatch after an incubation period of just a few weeks. The tiny ibis chicks are dependent on their mother for food, and develop quickly meaning that they leave the nest when they are about 6 weeks old.