Which endangered ibis has the scientific name Geronticus eremita?

The endangered ibis with the scientific name Geronticus eremita is the northern bald ibis.

Also called the hermit ibis or Waldrapp, this Old World bird has glossy dark plumage, a bare red head and face, and a long, curved red bill. It breeds colonially on rocky cliffs and historically occupied parts of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The species disappeared from Europe more than 300 years ago, largely because of hunting and wider human pressures.

The northern bald ibis suffered a dramatic modern decline from habitat loss, disturbance, pesticide poisoning, electrocution, and hunting along migration routes. Conservation work in Morocco, Turkey, and Europe has included protecting breeding colonies, captive breeding, and reintroduction. Growth in Morocco and coordinated programs helped the species move from Critically Endangered to Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2018.

That status change can cause confusion: “endangered” is the current broad category, while the species remains highly threatened. It is also not the same as the glossy, sacred, or hadada ibis, which belong to different genera and have different appearances and ranges.