As of: February 17, 2024, 1:05 p.m
By: Sofia Popovidi
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The rare northern bald ibis was spotted in North Rhine-Westphalia.
A glimmer of hope for the endangered bird.
Lippetal - They were once considered a delicacy, but are now threatened with extinction.
The northern bald ibis, with its sickle-shaped red beak and ruffled feathers, is now only rarely found in its former range in southern Europe.
According to NABU, the wild bird was heavily hunted, especially in the 17th century - which is why it almost died out back then.
The rare bird was also once common in southern Germany, but was then driven away.
Now there has been a surprising sighting - even in North Rhine-Westphalia.
As the Working Group on Biological Environmental Protection (ABU) confirmed, there were recently the first sightings of a northern bald ibis in Lippetal in the Soest district.
But how did the northern bald ibis come to North Rhine-Westphalia?
Waldrapp |
Also called 'crested ibis' |
|---|---|
Scientific name: |
Geronticus eremita |
Size: |
65 to 67 centimeters |
Look: |
Black plumage, bare black head, reddish face, long curved red beak |
Danger: |
Highly endangered |
Traction behavior: |
long- and short-distance migrants; Migration route is passed down within the family. |
Northern Bald Ibis: Rare bird spotted in North Rhine-Westphalia
The endangered northern bald ibis was spotted in North Rhine-Westphalia at the beginning of 2024.
(Symbolic image) © Steffen Schellhorn/imago
“For many centuries, the stories about the black crested ibis in Europe were thought to be nothing more than fairy tales,” explains the European “LIFE program,” which is committed to reintroducing the bird.
At the beginning of 2024 there was an extraordinary sighting: On January 20th, Roland Loerbroks, a research assistant at the ABU, discovered a northern bald ibis in Hovestadt (Lippetal).
Such a specimen was previously seen in Lohne (Oldenburg) at the end of December 2023 - but without official confirmation.
According to environmentalists, the bird spotted in Lippetal is doing well so far and is very active.
“Its range is quite large, apparently stretches at least from Lohne to the Lippetal, and often it cannot be found at all,” says the ABU.
Waldrapps are to be reintroduced to Germany
The team of the European resettlement project has also already been informed about the sighting in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Because one thing is clear: the northern bald ibis should return to Germany.
The aim is to raise the offspring from zoos and then accompany them to their wintering area.
Through numerous breeding programs, 200 birds were already detected in the release populations in the European Alpine region at the beginning of 2022.
The biggest challenge in reintroduction is to teach the birds natural migratory behavior again, as they have forgotten this.
The aim of the project is to create an independently viable European Northern Bald Ibis population
to create birds whose migratory behavior is similar to that of their ancestors.
The WWF, among others, also supports the important project.
“It is the first attempt to reintroduce a species of migratory bird that is extinct in this country and to establish a new migratory tradition,” said the nature conservation organization.
As a result of the ongoing project, environmentalists suspect that individual northern bald ibises have lost their way while trying to relearn migratory behavior and ended up in the wild - possibly also in the municipality of Lippetal.
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Environmentalists appeal: What should I do if I see a northern bald ibis?
Keep your distance and do not approach or run after northern bald ibises
Do not attract, talk to or touch
Do not feed or provide water
If a northern bald ibis exhibits unusual behavior, is injured or returns regularly, contact the northern bald ibis protection team.
Do not carry out any direct interventions on the bird (catch, release) without prior agreement
Report sightings to info@waldrapp.eu
Source: European LIFE project for the reintroduction of the northern bald ibis
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(spo)