Northern Bald Ibis

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iNorthern Bald Ibis

Northern Bald Ibis near Tamri, Morocco

Conservation status

Critically endangered (CR)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Ciconiiformes
Family:	Threskiornithidae
Subfamily:	Threskionithinae
Genus:	Geronticus
Species:	G. eremita

Binomial name

Geronticus eremita
(Linnaeus, 1758)

The Northern Bald Ibis, Hermit Ibis, or Waldrapp, Geronticus eremita, is a large bird found in barren semi-desert or rocky habitats, often but not always close to running water.

In captivity, Duisberg Zoo, Germany

This is a large glossy black ibis, 70-80 cm long with a 120-135 cm wingspan. It has an unfeathered red face and head and a long decurved red bill. It breeds colonially on cliffs in rocky deserts in the Middle East and Africa north of the Sahara, laying 2-3 eggs. Its food is insects and other small creatures. It was once much widespread across the Middle East, northern Africa and the European Alps.

It is migratory in parts of its range, but its wintering areas are poorly known; the Moroccan population is however non-migratory.

This species is now officially critically endangered, with an estimated population in of 420 in the wild [1] and about 1500 in captivity (2004). It retains only a foothold in Morocco, Turkey and Syria. There is a programme ongoing to reintroduce the species into the wild in Austria, Spain and Italy.

The Northern Bald Ibis is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

[edit] Cultural significance

The Northern Bald Ibis was revered by the Egyptian Pharaohs.

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2004). Geronticus eremita. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is critically endangered