The Ibis
The ibis (Geronticus eremita)
The ibis
The northern bald ibis (Geronticus Eremita)
Appearance
The plumage is black, with bronze-green and purple iridescence, and there is a wispy ruff on the bird's hind neck. The face and the head are reddish, unfeathered and wrinkled. The legs, robust and quite long, are also reddish. The long bill is downcurved and thin. There is no difference in appearance between the male and the female.
Numbers
Length: 70-80 cm
Wingspan: 125-135 cm
Weight: 1-1.5 kg
Number of eggs per clutch: 2-4, annual clutch
Hatching time: 28 days
Fledging: approximately 30 days
Parental nourishment: approximately 30 days
Habitat
The species was once widespread across northern Africa, the Middle East and various parts of Europe; about three centuries ago it disappeared from Europe. In Africa the population has dramatically declined and today there are some stable colonies only in Morocco. There is a colony of northern bald ibises also in Turkey.
Behaviour
The northern bald ibis is a gregarious bird, basically monogamous. The mating ritual is complex and the role of the male seems to be decisive in choosing the nesting site. The nest is woven. Both the male and the female, in turns, take care of the eggs until they hatch and then they both look for food.
Diet
The ibis is a carnivorous bird and it hunts mainly by probing, using its long bill to feel for food items in sandy soil. It mainly feeds on insects, but small fish, amphibians and reptiles are also taken.
Animal at risk
The northern bald ibis is rated as a species at risk in the AEW conservation plan and in Appendix I of CITES. It is illegal to hunt, capture, sell and purchase these birds. In Europe there are various sites, like zoological gardens, with colonies of ibises and programs for their protection and reintroduction.
