Northern bald ibis
Amazing fact
In northern bald ibis flocks, older birds tend to lead rather than younger birds.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
In northern bald ibis flocks, older birds tend to lead rather than younger birds.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Northern bald ibis
- Scientific name
- Geronticus eremita
- Japanese name
- ホオアカトキ
- Group
- Birds
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Threskiornithidae
- Genus
- Geronticus
It lives on rocky ground along rivers and coasts in dry lands in places such as Morocco and Turkey.
Its face has no feathers and is a dark reddish color. A crest of feathers grows from the back of its head down the back of its neck.
Its feathers are black all over, but depending on the angle and the light they shine purple or green. It lives in flocks all year round.
How the Northern bald ibis lives
They are active during the day. They use their slightly curved bills to find food such as insects in the ground or in trees. At night, feathers behind the neck cover the red head as it sleeps, helping hide it. They nest on high rocky ledges, such as those on cliffs.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web上野動物園Basic data
- Weight
- 1,100–1,400 g
- Diet
- Insects, spiders, scorpions, earthworms, snails, fish, and other foods
- Range
- Morocco, Yemen, Syria, and Turkey
Where the Northern bald ibis has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- ホオアカトキ
- 简体中文
- 隐鹮
- 繁體中文
- 隱䴉
- 한국어
- 붉은뺨따오기
- Español
- Ibis eremita
- Français
- Ibis chauve
- Deutsch
- Waldrapp
- Português (Brasil)
- Íbis-eremita
- Italiano
- Ibis eremita
- العربية
- أبو منجل ناسك
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Ibis botak utara
- Русский
- Лесной ибис
- Türkçe
- Kelaynak
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — ホオアカトキChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Geronticus eremitaChecked: 2026-11-03
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Northern bald ibis, look for this
- If you hear their calls, listen for the male’s voice, which is deeper than the female’s.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Northern bald ibis
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Threskiornithidae
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