Akh Star

Bird of the Day Series, Social Media Content

Photo: Augustin Povedano

This is the Northern Bald Ibis, a stunning creature which you can only find on cliffs and rocky areas in Turkey and Morocco. He’s 30” long, weighs about 3 lbs., and has a 5’ wingspan. He’s gregarious, but spends most of his day foraging.

This species is at least 1.8 million years old and has always been highly revered. In the Middle East, the Northern Bald Ibis is a symbol of fertility, and it is that he was one of the first birds that Noah released from the Ark. In Egypt, the Bald Ibis was revered as holy, the embodiment of Thoth, scribe of the gods. The Old Egyptian word ‘akh: to be resplendent, to shine’ was denoted in hieroglyphs by a Bald Ibis. It has also been used to signify the soul or spirit, one of five elements constituting personality.

The Northern Bald Ibis was also the world’s first officially protected species. They used to be found on the cliffs and castles of Austria, and people enjoyed shooting them. In 1504, Archbishop Leonhard of Salzburg decreed that they must not be hunted. Which made them exclusive, and they became a delicacy to be enjoyed by the nobility. By 1630, there were no more Ibis in Austria. By 1700, they were gone from Europe.

Religion helped this species to survive in Turkey, where it was believed that the Ibis migrated each year to guide Hajj pilgrims to Mecca. This was particularly true in the town of Birecik, where an annual festival has long celebrated its return. As a result, by 1930, there were about 3,000 Ibis in Turkey.

Then there was serious decline. There were 400 in 1982, five pairs in 1986. Only three birds returned from their wintering grounds in 1989, just one in 1990. The returning birds died before they could reproduce—killed by hunting and pesticides. By 1992, the birds were extinct in Turkey.

Now, Turkey has 250 Ibis in semi-captivity—they’re free until the autumn, then they’re captured and caged for the winter. So no more migration. Austria has instituted a breeding and protection program, as have Italy, Spain and Morocco, which has about 700. And there are 2000 in captivity. The status of the Northern Bald Ibis has been changed from Critically Endangered to Endangered, but it is still one of the world’s most threatened birds.