Northern Bald Ibis: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Storks and Ibises · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. Its scientific name, Geronticus, comes from the Greek word for old man, a nod to its bald, wrinkly-looking head.
2. In one Turkish colony, people believed this ibis guided pilgrims to Mecca. So it was protected, and a yearly festival marked its return.
3. In 1504, an archbishop of Salzburg made it one of the first officially protected species in the world. Sadly, it still vanished from Austria.
4. To learn a migration route, young ibises in Europe follow human foster-mothers flying ultralight planes over the Alps to winter in Tuscany.
5. Pairs stay together for life. The male picks a cliff ledge, tidies it, then waves his crest and gives low rumbling calls to win a female.

The quiz

1. What does its scientific name Geronticus refer to?

• Its red legs
• Its cliff nests
• An old man's bald head (correct)
• Its glossy black feathers

Geronticus comes from the Greek for old man, for its bald head.

2. Why was the ibis protected in one Turkish colony?

• People believed it guided pilgrims to Mecca (correct)
• It was the king's favourite bird
• It kept snakes away from houses
• Its feathers were used in weddings

It was believed to guide Hajj pilgrims to Mecca each year.

3. In which year did a Salzburg decree protect the ibis?

• 1855
• 1704
• 1950
• 1504 (correct)

The 1504 decree made it one of the earliest protected species.

4. How do young ibises in Europe learn to cross the Alps?

• By following trains
• By following ultralight planes (correct)
• By following boats
• By riding in cars all the way

They follow human foster-mothers seated in ultralight aircraft.

5. What does the male do to attract a female?

• He builds a nest in a tree
• He brings her a fish
• He waves his crest and gives low rumbling calls (correct)
• He dances in shallow water

After cleaning a nest site, he waves his crest and rumbles.

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