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Fifty Black-headed Ibis Nests Concentrated in Two Trees in a Rajasthan Settlement

Black-headed ibises resting together in a tree at Gudavi
Research · Ecology

Researchers recorded a breeding colony of black-headed ibises (Threskiornis melanocephalus) at Satkhanda Choraha near the Nimbahera–Chittorgarh highway in Rajasthan, India. From June to September 2025, they counted 50 nests in just two babul trees (Vachellia nilotica): 29 in one tree and 21 in the other.

The colony was unusual because the nesting trees stood inside a settlement rather than in or immediately beside water. They were only about 1–2 metres from buildings, while the nearest water was roughly 200 metres away. Most nests were high in the canopy.

Urban nesting may reflect loss of suitable trees near wetlands

The authors interpret the colony as evidence that black-headed ibises can use human-dominated areas when suitable nesting trees near wetlands are scarce. In discussing why these sites may work, they draw on earlier studies suggesting that thorny trees can restrict access by ground predators such as snakes, while a dense canopy can shelter chicks and reduce the risk of them falling directly to the ground. Nesting high in the canopy may also make it easier for the adults to land at the colony.

Field visits in southern Rajasthan also revealed extensive cutting of Vachellia and Ficus trees around water bodies. The researchers identify this loss of potential nesting trees as a threat not only to black-headed ibis but to other colonial waterbirds. They recommend protecting existing nesting trees and planting more trees around water bodies to maintain breeding habitat for these birds.

Sources and image credit

  1. Sharma, A. K., Choudhary, N. L., & Tripathi, A. K. (2026). Shifting of nest site preference of Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus): Wetland to human habitation areas. Munis Entomology & Zoology, 21(1), 401–404.
  2. Sharma, A. K., Choudhary, N. L., & Tripathi, A. K. (2026). Full-text author copy of the Munis Entomology & Zoology article.

Image: Black-headed ibises resting in a tree at Gudavi Bird Sanctuary, Karnataka, India, 15 October 2017. Representative species photograph; not the Rajasthan colony. Photo: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black-headed_Ibis_at_Gudavi.jpg">Atulbhats / Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>. Cropped to 16:9. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

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