Population abundance and threats to Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus and Red-naped Ibis Pseudibis papillosa at study sites in Jhajjar district, Haryana, India

Abstract

The Black-headed Ibis and Red-naped Ibis are large wading birds of the order Pelecaniformes. This study documents abundance and threats affecting both species at Dighal, Gochhi, and Chhochhi villages located in Jhajjar district, Haryana, India. Field visits were made twice a month at each site from October 2020 to September 2021. Dighal had proportionately the largest populations of both species. Black-headed Ibis were most abundant in wetlands and Red-naped Ibis in agricultural areas. Populations of both species did not vary among seasons. Major threats observed included dumping of solid waste, fishing, growth of weeds, release of untreated sewage, collisions with transmission lines, grazers (e.g., cattle and goats), and stray dogs. The findings of this study suggest that despite having sizable populations near Dighal, both species face major threats and conservation efforts will require monitoring and management of ibis habitat.