First Stage Completed:Successful Start to the 2026 Human-Led Migration
On 23 August, we flew with our 30 juvenile Northern Bald Ibises from Binningen Airfield to Hütten-Hotzenwald Airfield. After just one hour and nine minutes and covering a distance of around 70 kilometres, we reached our first destination.
When invasive species management puts conservation at risk
A new decision in Tuscany is causing serious concern for our Northern Bald Ibises. The region has authorised the hunting of the invasive Sacred Ibis across all huntable areas from 20 September 2026 to 31 January 2027, without daily or seasonal bag limits
Flight Training Successfully Completed – We Are Ready for the 2026 Human-Led Migration!
Weeks of intensive flight training are behind us. We are now ready for a journey of around 2,500 kilometres all the way to Andalusia.
Northern Bald Ibis Season 2026: Successful Flight Training and Exceptionally High Reproduction Rates
Flight training of this year’s juvenile group at Binningen airfield in Baden-Württemberg is now well advanced. We are currently completing flights with the Northern Bald Ibises over distances of more than 20 kilometres.
A New Home South of the Alps: The New Northern Bald Ibis Aviary at Caprino Veronese is Inaugurated
On May 25th, an important new chapter began in the story of the Northern Bald Ibis. In the hills above Lake Garda, at Caprino Veronese, a new Northern Bald Ibis aviary was officially inaugurated, creating our first breeding site in Italy and establishing the fifth colony within the European reintroduction project funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
Gunnar Hartmann Wins Nature’s International “Scientist at Work” Photo Competition
Sometimes a single image tells an entire story – and that is exactly what our former team member Gunnar Hartmann has achieved. His photograph of a group of Northern Bald Ibises flying alongside our microlight aircraft has been awarded the overall prize in the international “Scientist at Work” photography competition organized by the renowned scientific journal Nature.
Northern Bald Ibis Season 2026: Successful Move to the Training Camp and a Promising Breeding Season
On 11 May, the hand-raising team relocated from Rosegg to Binningen Airfield, this year’s training camp location. The birds and the team received a warm welcome from the Binningen Gliding Club, the Municipality of Hilzingen, and many other supporters—just as they did during our first stay at this airfield in 2023.
Why Northern Bald Ibises Do Not Threaten Earthworm Populations – and May Even Benefit Agriculture
We are repeatedly asked by farmers what the return of the Northern Bald Ibis means for their meadows and whether the birds might consume too many earthworms. Based on scientific evidence, this concern can be clearly dispelled
Italy’s Wildlife Protections at Risk Under Proposed New Bill
In Italy, wildlife protection and hunting regulations are governed by national law and must also comply with European Union conservation rules, particularly those protecting migratory birds during breeding and migration periods. Bill 1552, currently under discussion in the Italian Senate, would significantly weaken several of these safeguards.
Proceedings of the International Northern Bald Ibis Symposium 2025 published
In March 2025, the International Northern Bald Ibis Symposium took place in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia. The event brought together 66 participants from 14 countries, who exchanged views on current developments in research, reintroduction, and international cooperation.