Threskiornis melanocephalus (Black headed Ibis)

• Also known as Oriental ibis.

• It is a species of wading bird found in marshy wet lands, in land and on coast.

• It feeds on various fishes, frogs and other water creatures as well as on insects.

• It walks about actively on marshy land probing with its bill into the soft and often feeds in shallow water with its head momentarily sub-merged like other species.

• It is vulnerable to drainage of wet lands and conversion of its habitat for agriculture.

• It is also increasingly affected by hunting and egg collection as well as poisoning by pesticides and disturbances at its breeding colonies.

• It lacks a true voice producing mechanism and is silent except for peculiar ventriloquial grunts uttered when nesting.

• It lays 4-black marked brown eggs in a floating nest.

• The male takes responsibility of incubation.

• Legs and toes are exceptionally long and slender; this is a feature which helps them to walk over aquatic vegetation.

• Toes lack webs.