Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)

Other Names (World)
Black-headed Ibis, White Ibis, Oriental Ibis, Oriental White Ibis, Indian White Ibis, Asian White Ibis, Oriental Black-necked Ibis, Indian Black-necked Ibis

Family
Threskiornithidae (Ibises, Spoonbills)

Size
65 - 76 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Latham, 1790)

Habitat
Freshwater marshes, lakes, rivers, flooded grasslands, paddy fields, tidal creeks, mudflats, saltmarshes and coastal lagoons, usually in extreme lowlands. From sea-level - 950 m.

Range (Guide)

Bangladesh (NB), Cambodia (B), China (mainland) (NB), Hong Kong (China) (NB), India (B), Indonesia (B) (NB), Malaysia (NB), Myanmar (NB), Nepal (NB), Pakistan (B), Philippines (NB), Russia (Asian), Sri Lanka (B), Thailand (NB), Vietnam (B).

Vagrant to Japan (NB), Laos (NB), Mongolia, South Korea (NB).

Breeds from Pakistan and Nepal through India to Sri Lanka; north-eastern China; Viet Nam; Java and possibly Sumatra. Winters in southern China, Burma, Thailand, Sumatra and Philippines. Formerly more widespread in eastern Asia.

Population
Estimated population is 20,000 (2010) and decreasing.

Status NT
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Subdued grunting 'guwaa' or 'kuwaa' and mellow squeals at nesting colonies. Otherwise silent.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (4)...)

Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) [XC198761]
by Lakshmikant Rajaram Neve from Keoladeo National Park (near Shreenagar Rural), Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (flight call)

Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) [XC357925]
by Lakshmikant Rajaram Neve from Pimprisekam, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India (alarm call)

Subspecies
Forms superspecies with African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) and Australian Ibis (Threskiornis moluccus) and sometimes considered a subspecies of African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus).

No subspecies.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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