Straw-necked ibis

The straw-necked ibis is a fairly large bird, around 60 to 75 cm long. Its back is black, with dark feathers that display an iridescent blue-green sheen on the wings, while its belly is white. It has a long neck adorned with drooping white feathers and the long, slender black beak curving downwards that is characteristic of the ibis.

This bird inhabits marshy areas, shallow lagoons and wet or dry grasslands, avoiding marine, coastal and estuarine environments. In the marshlands, the straw-necked ibis feeds on small aquatic animals such as insects, molluscs and amphibians. When on dry terrain, it is particularly fond of grasshoppers, crickets and locusts, making it popular among farmers who are concerned about such crop-eating insects.

Breeding pairs in large or small colonies build large, rough, cup-shaped nests floating on a raft of rushes and plant debris. Males and females take it in turns to incubate the eggs and then raise.