On 2 October 2026, the Andalusian regional government in Barbate (Finca San Ambrosio, province of Cádiz) officially welcomed fifteen young northern bald ibises (Geronticus eremita). According to the Junta de Andalucía, the birds travelled around 2,500 kilometres along a migration route accompanied by people. They set off on 18 August 2026 from the airfield at Binningen in Hilzingen (Germany). A documented stopover was made in Girona on 13 September, where the birds were cared for by Fundación Alive. The birds come from the colony at Tierpark Rosegg in Carinthia and will now spend around two weeks acclimatising in the aviary at San Ambrosio.
The Junta places the arrival within the long-standing cooperation between Proyecto Eremita, the Zoobotánico de Jerez and the European programme LIFE Northern Bald Ibis . The aim is to establish a recurring migration route between Central Europe and Andalusia, to stabilise the species in suitable wintering grounds. Those responsible emphasise that Andalusia has more than twenty years’ experience caring for the northern bald ibis; the free-living population already established in the province serves as a starting point for further measures.
The announcement describes the initiative’s operational arrangements: caring for the birds, flight training and marking them with rings and GPS transmitters, as well as continuous tracking during each leg. The migration was accompanied by powered paragliders (paramotors). The Junta also announced new release and observation sites in the region, including land in Medina Sidonia (Finca Poca Sangre). Measures are also planned to reduce risks from power lines. According to the announcement, more than €90,000 in compensation funds from offsetting measures linked to renewable energy projects is available for the planned expansion.
The regional government notes as background that Cádiz is now considered one of Europe’s most important breeding centres for the species. According to its figures, the province’s free-living population numbers around 300; at least 53 young birds fledged during the 2026 breeding season. The initiative, carried out between August and October 2026, follows earlier attempts at human-guided migration. The first successful arrival at San Ambrosio was recorded in 2023. The current route is intended to strengthen genetic links between breeding stocks in Central Europe and free-living populations in Andalusia.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).