Geronticus calvus
The Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) is a striking, medium-sized wading bird characterized by its glossy black plumage, often displaying iridescent green, purple, and bronze sheens, particularly on the wings. Its most distinctive feature, and the source of its common name, is an unfeathered, dull crimson-red head and crown, which contrasts sharply with its dark body. Measuring approximately 70-80 cm in length with a wingspan of 125-135 cm and weighing between 1.0-1.3 kg, it possesses a ...
This species primarily inhabits high-altitude montane grasslands, pastures, and croplands, typically at elevations between 1,000-2,000 meters. It requires adjacent cliffs or rocky outcrops for colonial nesting and roosting, often near reliable water sources.
The diet consists predominantly of terrestrial invertebrates, including earthworms, grasshoppers, beetles and their larvae, snails, and spiders. They occasionally consume small vertebrates such as lizards, frogs, and snakes, primarily foraging by probing moist soil and short grass with their long...
Southern Bald Ibises are highly gregarious birds, often foraging in small flocks and roosting communally on cliff ledges outside the breeding season. They are diurnal, spending their days meticulously probing soft soil and short grass with their long, decurved bills, searching for invertebrates. ...
The Southern Bald Ibis is endemic to southern Africa, with its breeding range primarily concentrated in the eastern parts of South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini (Swaziland). The distribution is fragmented, with significant populations found in the Drakensberg escarpment, Eastern Cape, Free State,...
Vulnerable
- The Southern Bald Ibis gets its 'bald' appearance from its unfeathered, bright red head, a unique feature among most ibis species. - Unlike many ibises that prefer wetlands, this species is a specialist of high-altitude montane grasslands, making it ecologically distinct. - They are highly soci...