Balasore: The rare Red-naped ibis birds are found in Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Nilagiri Forest Range in Balasore district.
Some of these rare species were found sitting on a mobile tower in Podasula area by tourist guide Manoranjan Das.
Forest officials said that these birds have congregated in Rissia, Khumkut in the sanctuary area and Ghagra in Keonjhar district.
These rare species usually flock to Kuldiha Sanctuary and its periphery during winter.
The red-naped ibis, also known as the Indian black ibis or black ibis, is a species of ibis found in the plains of the Indian sub-continent mostly in Sri Lanka and Nepal. Unlike other ibises in the region, it is not very dependent on water and is often found in dry fields a good distance away from the water bodies.
These species are omnivorous and feed on carrion, insects, frogs, and other small vertebrates as well as grain. They forage mainly in dry open land and stubbly fields. They usually reside in big trees.
These birds are usually silent but call at dawn and dusk and more often when nesting. The calls are a series of loud braying, squealing screams that descend in loudness.