The Red-Naped Ibis Explained

The red-naped ibis (Pseudibis papillosa), widely known in India as the black ibis, is a large, glossy blackish wading bird with a bare dark head, a warty red patch on the back of the head and a long, down-curved bill, and it is one of the most common ibises of dry farmland and open country in South Asia. The red-naped ibis is a resident species that forages by probing soft ground, and its loud, harsh calls are often the first sign that a pair is overhead.

Unlike the white ibis of wetlands, the red-naped ibis is at home in ploughed fields, dry grassland, scrub and the edges of villages and towns, although it still uses water and wetland margins. This explainer covers how to identify the red-naped ibis, where it lives in India, what it eats, how it nests and calls, and how it is faring.

Key Takeaways

• The red-naped ibis is a dark, glossy ibis, commonly called the black ibis, that is easily identified by a red warty patch on the nape.
• The red-naped ibis shows a bright white shoulder patch on the wing, which is conspicuous in flight and is a useful identification mark.
• The red-naped ibis prefers dry, open habitats such as farmland, scrub and plains, unlike many ibises that depend on wetlands.
• The red-naped ibis feeds by probing the ground for insects, grubs, earthworms, small reptiles and amphibians.
• The red-naped ibis is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though local numbers can fall where habitats are changed.
• The red-naped ibis is noisy, giving loud, harsh, repeated calls from the ground, from trees and in flight.

What is the red-naped ibis?

The red-naped ibis is a medium-large bird of the family Threskiornithidae, found mainly in the Indian subcontinent and recognised by its dark body and red nape patch. The scientific name Pseudibis papillosa refers to the warty, papillose skin on the head, while “pseudibis” means “false ibis”.

In Indian usage the bird is often called the “black ibis” or “Indian black ibis”, which can cause confusion because the dark plumage looks black from a distance. Up close, the feathers show a brown tone with a bluish-green or purplish gloss. The species is closely related to other dark-bodied ibises of Asia, and it is not the same bird as the white-shouldered ibis of Southeast Asia.

The red-naped ibis is largely resident, meaning that it stays in the same general region through the year, though it may move locally in response to food and water availability.

How can you identify a red-naped ibis?

A red-naped ibis can be identified by its dark, glossy plumage, bare blackish head with a triangular red patch at the back of the crown, white shoulder patch and curved greyish bill. The legs are dull red or pinkish-red, and the bird walks with a deliberate, upright gait.

Plumage and bare parts

• The body is dark brown to blackish, with a faint glossy sheen in good light.
• The bare head and upper neck are blackish and slightly granular, with a red, warty patch on the nape.
• The bill is long, curved and dull grey to greenish-grey, often darker towards the tip.
• The lesser wing coverts form a white shoulder patch that can be hidden when the wing is folded.
• The legs and feet are red to pinkish-red, brighter in breeding birds.

Juveniles

Young red-naped ibises are duller, with a browner body, lacking the bright red nape and with a less clear shoulder patch. The head is often paler and partly feathered. They acquire adult colours gradually over their first year or two.

In flight

In flight, the red-naped ibis shows dark wings with a white shoulder patch, an outstretched neck and trailing legs. It flaps steadily with short glides and often calls as it moves between feeding fields and roosts.

Where does the red-naped ibis live in India?

The red-naped ibis lives across much of the Indian plains, from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan through the Gangetic plain to Gujarat, Maharashtra and parts of the peninsula, in farmland and open country. It is particularly common in the drier, flatter parts of northern, western and central India.

The species avoids dense forest and is often seen in open landscapes with scattered tall trees. It is found in the Indian subcontinent only, with the stronghold in India, Pakistan and Nepal, and a more limited presence in Bangladesh. It is generally absent from Sri Lanka and from the extreme south of the peninsula.

Typical habitats

• Ploughed and irrigated fields, stubble and fallow land.
• Dry grassland, scrub and open plains with scattered trees.
• River banks, canals, fish ponds and the edges of tanks.
• Pastures, orchards and roadside fields.
• Villages, towns and the margins of cities where fields and open ground remain.

What does the red-naped ibis eat?

The red-naped ibis eats insects, insect larvae, earthworms, small reptiles, frogs, crustaceans and occasionally grain, which it finds by probing soft ground with its curved bill. It feeds in dry fields as readily as at water margins, and it often forages on the ground in pairs or small groups.

The bird pushes its bill into the soil, sometimes up to its full length, to reach grubs and worms. It also picks insects from the surface, including beetles, grasshoppers and crickets. In wet places it takes small crabs, snails and frogs. Occasionally it will pick up small lizards or even carrion.

Because it eats many soil insects and grubs, the red-naped ibis gives a quiet but genuine benefit to farmers by controlling pests. Ploughing and irrigation often attract feeding flocks, which follow the plough much like egrets do.

How does the red-naped ibis breed and nest?

The red-naped ibis builds a platform nest of sticks, usually in a tall tree, and lays a small clutch of pale eggs, nesting singly or in loose groups rather than in dense colonies. The nest is a flat, untidy structure, often placed in the upper branches of a large tree near fields or water.

Breeding season

The breeding season varies by region and is often linked with the monsoon, when food is plentiful. In northern India the main nesting period commonly falls in the rainy months, while in other parts of the range birds may breed earlier or later. Pairs often reuse the same nest in later years.

Eggs and chicks

• The typical clutch is two to four pale bluish-green eggs, sometimes with faint spotting.
• Both parents are generally believed to take part in incubation and feeding.
• Chicks are fed by regurgitation and fledge after several weeks.
• Nest trees are often tall species, including eucalyptus, banyan, peepal, neem and other large roadside or field trees.

Unlike the black-headed ibis and many storks, the red-naped ibis is often a solitary or loosely colonial nester, though several nests may occur in the same grove.

Why is the red-naped ibis so noisy?

The red-naped ibis is noisy because it uses loud, harsh calls to keep contact between mates, to defend nest sites and to communicate across open fields. The calls are nasal, repeated and carry over long distances, often described as a loud, croaking or braying sound.

Birds call most often at dawn and dusk, when they leave or return to roosts, and also in flight. Pairs may call together near the nest, sometimes with an upward stretch of the neck. The sound is distinctive enough that birdwatchers often detect the species by ear before seeing it.

At night the species roosts communally in trees, often in groups, which allows safety in numbers and sharing of information about good feeding areas.

How is the red-naped ibis different from other ibises?

The red-naped ibis differs from other Indian ibises mainly in its dark body, red nape patch and white shoulder patch, together with its preference for dry open ground. The table compares it with the other common ibises seen in India.

The glossy ibis is the bird most likely to be confused with the red-naped ibis. It is smaller, slimmer, has a feathered face and lacks both the red nape and the white shoulder patch.

Is the red-naped ibis threatened?

The red-naped ibis is not considered threatened and is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The population across its range is believed to be large, and the bird is still common over wide areas of the Indian plains.

Even so, the red-naped ibis can decline locally. Intensive pesticide use reduces its food supply and can poison birds directly. Felling of large nest trees, the drainage of wetlands and the conversion of grassland to built-up land all reduce suitable habitat. Collisions with power lines and occasional hunting are further pressures. Wild birds, including ibises, are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

What role does the red-naped ibis play in farmland ecology?

The red-naped ibis plays a role as a predator of soil insects and as an indicator of healthy, diverse farmland. By eating grubs, beetles and grasshoppers, the bird limits populations of species that can harm crops, and by foraging in open fields it links tree-based nest sites with agricultural land.

The bird’s presence also suggests that the soil still supports invertebrates and that large trees remain nearby. Declines in red-naped ibis numbers in an area can therefore point to heavy chemical use or the loss of old trees, even when other species still seem common.

Ways farmers and communities help

• Retain large old trees in and around fields and along roads for nesting and roosting.
• Reduce broad-spectrum pesticide use and adopt integrated pest management.
• Protect small ponds, canals and wet patches that offer drinking and feeding sites.
• Avoid disturbing nests during the breeding season when trimming or felling trees.

Bottom Line

The red-naped ibis is a dark, glossy ibis with a red nape patch and a white shoulder patch, and it is one of the best-known birds of Indian fields and open country. It remains common and Least Concern, but its future depends on keeping old trees, ponds and low-chemical farmland across the plains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the red-naped ibis called the black ibis?

The red-naped ibis is called the black ibis because its body plumage looks black from a distance. Close up, the feathers are dark brown with a green-purple gloss. The name black ibis is common in India, while red-naped ibis is the standard name used in most modern field guides.

What does a red-naped ibis look like?

A red-naped ibis is a large, dark glossy bird with a bare blackish head, a red warty patch on the nape and a long, curved grey bill. It also has a white shoulder patch on each wing and red legs. Juveniles are duller and lack the bright red nape.

Where is the red-naped ibis found in India?

The red-naped ibis is found across much of the Indian plains, especially in farmland, dry grassland and open scrub in northern, western and central India. It also occurs in Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. It avoids dense forest and is generally absent from Sri Lanka.

What does the red-naped ibis eat?

The red-naped ibis eats insects, grubs, earthworms, small reptiles, frogs, crustaceans and sometimes grain. It finds food by probing soft ground with its curved bill. Because it eats many soil pests, it is considered helpful to farmers.

Is the red-naped ibis endangered?

No, the red-naped ibis is not endangered and is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. It remains common over much of its range in the Indian subcontinent. Local declines can still occur because of pesticide use, tree felling and habitat loss.

How is the red-naped ibis different from the black-headed ibis?

The red-naped ibis is dark with a red nape and white shoulder patch, while the black-headed ibis is white with a fully black head and neck. The red-naped ibis prefers dry fields and scrub, whereas the black-headed ibis relies mostly on wetlands. Both are ibises of the family Threskiornithidae.

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