Northern Bald Ibis
Geronticus eremita
Once sacred in ancient Egypt and common across Europe and the Middle East, the Northern Bald Ibis vanished from nearly every part of its range. With a bare red head, shimmering black feathers, and a long curved beak, it’s both prehistoric and hauntingly beautiful. Driven to near-extinction by hunting, habitat loss, and pesticides, it’s now staging a fragile recovery.
Endangered
Population: 1,000 in the wild
Years Until Extinction: 20 years in the wild
Habitat
Semi-arid cliffs, rocky deserts, grasslands
Main Threat
Habitat loss, hunting, powerline collisions
Description
Glossy black with green and purple sheen, spiky crest, and naked red face. Its long, curved beak and slow gait give it an ancient, almost mythic presence.
Wingspan: 4.2 - 4.9 feet
Diet: Insects, small reptiles, worms
Nesting: Crest fluffing, head shaking, soft warbling calls
Mating: Cliffside colonies with shallow stick nests
The Northern Bald Ibis is a glossy black wading bird with a featherless red head, once extinct in Europe but now reintroduced through human-led migrations. Wearing a dark dress with reminiscent of its feathered cloak, the Ibis Dance is deliberate and steady, marked by slow, synchronized footwork, low head dips, and stately pacing that mirror its cliff-foraging.
They’re trained to follow microlight aircraft on migration, relearning ancestral routes long lost to memory.
Learn the Dance
Choreography Suggestions:
Curved-bill probe: forward torso hinge with long, scooping hand shape.
Colony nod: rhythmic head dips in short sequences.
Wing stretch: broad lateral arm open, then settle to sides.
Ritual and earthy; steady tempo with communal, repetitive motifs.
Not a dancer? Co-create with AI!
Costume Ideas: Dark iridescent top (black/green hints); slim red belt or wrist strip to suggest bill color.
Prompt Ideas: Dancer channels northern bald ibis: hinged probing gestures with curved hands, rhythmic nod sequences, broad wing-like stretches; dark iridescent costume with red accent; rocky cliff/shore mood..
