Waldrapp ibis

What they look like

The waldrapp ibis is a large bird standing around 80cm tall, covered in black shiny feathers. Unlike other species of ibis bird, its face and head features no feathers and is pale red in colour, along with its downward curving bill and long legs.   

Animal facts

• They breed on cliff edges, where they lay two to three eggs in a stick nest.
• The species recently suffered a long-term decline and now only a wild population of a few hundred exist today.
• Waldrapp ibis fossils found in southern France date back more than 10,000 years.

What they eat

They eat a variety of small animals, including lizards and insects.

Habitat

This species can typically be found in rocky habitats where there is running water nearby.

Where they live

Morroco, Spain, Turkey and Austria.

Threats

Different colonies of waldrapp ibis face different threats. For example, in Morocco, the species threatened by illegal building work and disturbances close to the cliffs where they breed. Meanwhile, hunting is a major threat to the extremely small population of waldrapp ibis that remains in Syria.