The Northern Bald Ibis: a colony in Europe

A unique looking species

The ibis eremita belongs to the small group of Pelecaniformes, with less than 120 species in the world. It is a large bird with shiny black plumage and metallic reflections, a bare red head and throat, a long downward curved beak and a plume of feathers on the nape of the neck. In other words, it has a very peculiar appearance that never leaves you indifferent.

Basic data on its biology

It inhabits semi-arid areas and grasslands, and is found in isolated rocky cliffs. It lays 2 to 4 eggs between February and May. Diet: mainly insects and other invertebrates, occasionally small vertebrates, found on the ground.

Much more than the hermit ibis

The ibis are quite mobile and it is necessary to set off in search of them, visiting several points of interest in the Cadiz countryside, where we will observe birds of agricultural environments (crested larks, Montagu’s harriers), and we will pass through the marshes of Barbate, by the sea with an abundance of coastal birds (gulls and waders) and wetlands (flamingos).

Ring readings

Numerous adult specimens are banded with large, easy to read PVC rings, which carry an alpha-numeric code. Observers can collaborate with the monitoring of the species by communicating these readings.

Since 2023, a project of the Schoenbrunn Zoo (Vienna) has been trying to establish a migration route between the Alps and Andalusia.