The striking northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremite), with is long red bill and oblong-shaped black body, is not a bird that would usually attract too much attention because many people would not think of it as the most attractive bird. However, it is currently very much under the spotlight as it is a critically endangered bird that may be facing extinction if more effort is not put into preserving this species.

The IUCN Red List has labeled the northern bald ibis a critically endangered species because it has long been suffering a steady decline in population. The bird is now limited to an extremely small range and is very low in numbers. While management actions have lead to some success in increasing numbers in places such as Morocco, northern bald ibis numbers continue to drop overall. This means that the bird species still faces the possibility of extinction in the very near future.

The northern bald ibis is between 70 and 80 centimeters in size. Its body is mainly black with iridescent tinges of green, blue and copper. The face is naked with a crown and both are red in color. The nuchal area has a ruff of feathers and the bird usually makes very little noise – apart from a few grunts that might be uttered from its nest or while doing a courtship display. It is currently estimated that there are only about 227 of these birds in the world and these are limited to a 680 square kilometer area.

It was previously believed that this bird was only found at the Souss-Massa National Park in Morocco and at Tamri. However non-breeding birds have been found in Mauritiana and further breeding pairs or adults have been seen in Talila, Syria and Turkey. It was estimated that there were only 300 individuals in 1994 and, despite certain isolated increases, this number has been steadily dropping. While the population of the bird decreased dramatically in the past mainly due to unidentified natural causes, more recent declines are caused by human persecution, loss of suitable habitats, pesticide poisoning, dam construction and human disturbance. Loss of eggs to predators and poor chick survival are also notable factors in the species’ decline.

Fortunately efforts are constantly underway to try and prevent the extinction of this unusual bird. Many of the birds are nesting in national parks and other protected areas, and research, protection programs and collaboration with local communities will likely go a long way to helping. Hopefully more research into the feeding and breeding habits of the bird, as well as the habitat requirements of this unusual creature, will be done in the future to enable conservationists to better ensure the future survival of the northern bald ibis.

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The Black Grouse appears on the IUCN Red List of endangered species and was considered to be one of the bird species most likely to become extinct. However, through the dedicated efforts of conservation groups over the past two decades, the dramatic decline of this rare bird has not only been halted, but turned around, and Black Grouse numbers in the northern Pennines are slowly rising.

The Black Grouse was once plentiful in all the counties of England, but by 1910 it had disappeared from all the southern counties. The Black Grouse can still be seen in most of Scotland and in the upland areas of Wales, but the population in England is restricted to Northumberland, North Yorkshire, County Durham and Cumbria. As a signature species of upland moorland, as well as being a key indicator species, the Black Grouse is considered to be an important bird in the environment. It is also one of the relatively few bird species which has a lek – gathering of male birds in a competitive mating display – at breeding season.

Under the direction of Dr. David Baines and Dr. Phil Warren, the North Pennines Black Grouse Recovery Project is a joint conservation project by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, RSPB, Natural England, Ministry of Defense, Northumbrian Water and North Pennines AONB Partnership. The reasons behind the decline of Black Grouse numbers was a key aspect of the study. It was established that overgrazing by sheep has resulted in a significant loss of suitable habitats for the Black Grouse. Another factor affecting the Black Grouse population is the increase in the number of predators, including Carrion Crows and Red Foxes. Additionally there has been a reduction in the number of insects, which are essential in the diet of young Black Grouse chicks.

Using this information, conservationists were able to formulate a recovery program which, with the co-operation of landowners and gamekeepers, is showing positive results. Numbers of grazing sheep were cut, allowing the vegetation to recover in overgrazed areas, thereby providing cover and food for the birds. Also, gamekeepers are working to keep predators under control on the fringes of moorland and woodland, which are the Black Grouses’ preferred nesting areas.

Surveys conducted throughout the Black Grouse habitat area in northern England revealed that there has been a 4% increase of males between 1998 and 2006. Although conservationists believe that it is unlikely that the Black Grouse will ever return to the southern counties, they are hopeful that a significant recovery of Black Grouse will be experienced in the counties down the northern area of the Pennine Chain, as well as into the Forest of Bowland. Based on the success of the North Pennines Black Grouse Recovery Project, similar projects are likely to be implemented for the conservation of other threatened bird species.

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