Southern Bald Ibis
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE · CC BY-SA 2.0

Ibises and Spoonbills

Southern Bald Ibis

Geronticus calvus

NTNear Threatened
Family
Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)
Order
Pelecaniformes

Overview

The southern bald ibis (Geronticus calvus) is a large bird found in open grassland or semi-desert in the mountains of southern Africa. Taxonomically, it is most closely related to its counterpart in the northern regions of Africa, the waldrapp (Geronticus eremita). As a species, it has a very restricted homerange, limited to the southern tips of South Africa in highland and mountainous regions.
This large, glossy, blue-black ibis has an unfeathered red face and head, and a long, decurved red bill.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Highlands of northeastern South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini.

Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.