Red-Naped Ibis
Pseudibis papillosa
Also known as: Black Ibis, Indian Black Ibis
About This Species
Found probing wet fields, marshes and riverbanks across the Indian subcontinent, usually alone or in small groups rather than dense flocks. Look for a dark, glossy plumage with a bare red patch on the nape and a long downcurved bill used to probe mud for invertebrates. Early morning at rice paddies and irrigation channels, especially in the post-monsoon months, offers the best chance of a close view.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- A wary bird that will flush from open ground well before a slow approach closes the distance, so a scope or long lens from the field edge works better than trying to walk in close.
- Stick to public paths and field boundaries rather than crossing cultivated or private land to reach it.
- Wildlife protection rules vary by state in India, so check local guidance before entering any protected wetland.
LCAvesPelecaniformesThreskiornithidae
Seasonal Activity
154,914 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Threskiornithidae
Photo
(c) Joby Joseph, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.