August/September 2006 - Sultan, Zenobia and Salam are the names of three Northern Bald Ibises (Geronticus eremita) currently making headlines in the bird conservation world. Not only are the three critically endangered birds members of a recently discovered wild population of Northern Bald Ibises in Syria, but their very movements (currently being displayed on the RSPB website) could reveal the mystery of where these birds spend their winter.

Using small, lightweight satellite transmitters funded by the National Geographic Society and AEWA, scientists and experts from RSPB, BirdLife Middle East and the Government of Syria, have come one step closer in tracing and pinpointing the actual migration routes of these few remaining birds.

“This is an exciting moment for everyone who has been following the conservation story of the Northern Bald Ibises. To be able to finally follow the three Northern Bald Ibises on your computer screen along their migration from Syria, through Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and on to Ethiopia is truly magnificent. It is also turning out to be quite a technology driven PR campaign for these birds.” says Bert Lenten, Executive Secretary of UNEP/AEWA.

Most of the Northern Bald Ibises known to still live in the wild come from the western population primarily found in Morocco. The three birds currently being tracked via satellite are from the eastern population, which was first discovered in 2002 and primarily found in Syria. Yet until now very little is known about where these birds migrate to and where they spend the winter.

Chris Bowden who has spent many years working on the Northern Bald Ibises in Morocco and throughout the Middle East is quoted on the RSPB website as saying: "Being able to find out where the ibises spend the winter is something I feared we might never know for sure. Old records from Eritrea and Ethiopia meant that those countries were possibilities, and it came as something of a surprise that our tagged birds spent over three weeks in Yemen (where there were also a few records in the 1980s). Just when we began to think they might stay there, they shot across the Red Sea to central Ethiopia!”

“In all the excitement produced by these three birds” continues Lenten, “I would like to highlight that this project is also contributing to filling an important knowledge gap of where this small eastern population overwinters which will hopefully also help focus conservation efforts and indirectly give some attention to all the few remaining populations of Northern Bald Ibises mainly found in Morocco, Syria and Turkey”

A recently published International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Northern Bald Ibis (AEWA Technical Series No. 10) which was compiled by Maria Jose Jimenez Armesto, Christiane Boehm and Chris Bowden in close cooperation with the International Advisory Group on the Northern Bald Ibis (IAGNBI) gives an overview of the current state of and conservation efforts needed to ensure the survival of this critically endangered species.

“I would like to encourage all those watching Sultan, Zenobia and Salam unveil the mystery of migration at this very moment to click one page further and also read the AEWA Action Plan on the Northern Bald Ibis so as to learn more about these wonderful birds, the threats they are facing and what the international community is doing to help save them.” concludes Bert Lenten.

Further Information:

Northern bald ibis in Syria - RSPB satellite tracking website with the interactive map

"Bald Ibis adults tracked to wintering ground" - BirdLife International Announcement [16.10.06]

International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Northern Bald Ibis (AEWA Technical Series No. 10) [PDF Document 1,3 MB]

Factsheets on the Northern Bald Ibis:

Northern Bald Ibis - AEWA Species Factsheet

Northern Bald Ibis - BirdLife International Species Factsheet