October 30, 2021 - An extremely rare bird, the northern bald ibis, landed in Grobničko Polje near Rijeka. It immediately aroused the interest of scientists and the media because this species became extinct in Croatia in the 18th century.
Her name is Nova, reports Morski.hr.
"Yesterday afternoon, by chance, I saw a strange bird on the telephone pole, and I thought it was a heron. Then, early in the morning, several photographers came in front of my house," said Dorijan Curać.
He said he found out which bird it was online and was delighted that this rare individual had come to his area.
"Then I came back and filmed it from about 2 meters and let it quietly peck at the insects. I also registered it on the Animal tracker application," he added.
The Waldrappteam organization's Facebook page, which highlights the protection of this bird, mentions that Nova flew to the Adriatic coast and across the sea to Croatia, from where it is expected to fly further south. They also say that the bird has deviated from its usual route and should realize it is wrong. Unfortunately, they also remind that in 2019 they had a similar situation, where a flock of protected birds that arrived over the Croatian sky was illegally killed. That is why they ask all those who see this bird share this news so that many people can be informed.
This rare bird normally resides in semi-desert or rocky areas, often near watercourses. It is an endangered species and can be found in North Africa and the Middle East. It is up to 80 centimeters long. Its body is covered with black feathers that, in the sun, have a copper-green and purple glow, a red beak, and red skin on her body, except for the top of her head. When it hatches, it has feathers on its head, and then when it grows, those feathers fall off, and the bird remains 'bald.' Hence the name bald ibis.
It nested in the Pula area and then became extinct in Croatia and Europe due to habitat loss and hunting. However, it is found in many historical sources and is depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphs as "akh" - a symbol of the human soul. As early as 1504, it was declared one of the first protected bird species in Austria, which unfortunately did not save it from extinction, writes the Biom Association.
This species became extinct in Croatia in the 18th century, and the last birds nested in the Pula area. The same fate befell this bird throughout Europe, and habitat loss and hunting are considered the main reasons for its extinction. At the beginning of the 21st century, the world's population of bald ibis was reduced to only 200-250 individuals, which survived in North Africa and the Middle East.
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