Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Bald Ibis
Geronticus calvus
Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) — Herons, Pelicans & Ibises of Africa.
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The Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) is a member of the Threskiornithidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 1.2 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Pelecaniformes
- Family Threskiornithidae Ibises, Spoonbills
- Genus Geronticus
- Species calvus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.2 kg
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Threskiornithidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern Bald Ibis is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Southern Bald Ibis is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) is a species of bird in the Threskiornithidae family, part of the order Pelecaniformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF South Africa.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.2 kg, with a wing length of about 38.8 cm and a tail of around 19.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 207,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Bald Ibis?
The Southern Bald Ibis is a very large bird that weighs around 1.2 kg.
Where does the Southern Bald Ibis live?
The Southern Bald Ibis is found across Africa with a range covering AF South Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Southern Bald Ibis belong to?
The Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) belongs to the Threskiornithidae family, in the order Pelecaniformes.
What does the Southern Bald Ibis eat?
The Southern Bald Ibis is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Southern Bald Ibis migrate?
The Southern Bald Ibis is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Southern Bald Ibis endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
How large is the Southern Bald Ibis's range?
The Southern Bald Ibis has a mapped global range of about 207,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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