Number of juvenile birds
days of migration
KM to Andalusia
A human-led migration to Andalusia is planned again this year. Preparations have already begun and, as in the previous year, about 35 chicks will be raised by hand. Hand-raising is expected to start at the beginning of April.
This year, the destination is Andalusia for the second time. Instead of flying to the wintering area in Tuscany, we want to fly to the south of Spain to release the juvenile birds into the wild. The partner project Proyecto Eremita has been building up a sedentary population of Northern Bald Ibises in Andalusia for 20 years. Our birds will also overwinter there.
Why Andalusia?
Global warming is also becoming a challenge for the Northern Bald Ibis. The birds of the colonies in the northern foothills of the Alps are having increasing problems flying over the Alpine barrier in autumn. A new migration corridor to Andalusia should enable them to reach a suitable wintering area without being hindered by the barrier of the Alps.
Click here for the latest pictures and information:
Timetable for human-led migration 2024
CW 16
Collection of around 35 chicks from the nests of the Rosegg Zoo colony in Carinthia (A).
CW 16 - 20
Handraising of the chicks in Rosegg in Carinthia (A).
CW 20 - 33
Flight training with the Northern Bald Ibises in Taching am See in Bavaria (DE).
If you would like to see our camp and the Northern Bald Ibises from a distance, you are welcome to visit us during our visiting hours.
Visiting hours: June and July every Friday to Sunday 15:00-17:00
Schröckenbauer 1, 83373 Taching am See
Contact Camp Leader
Lisa-Maria Weber
camp@waldrappteam.at
+49 1525 2424697
CW 33 - 40
Migration with the birds through Germany, France and Spain.
INFORMATION ON THE FLIGHT ROUTE:
Current Location: Hostalric
Next Location: La Llosa
Notice: If you would like to visit the migration camp at the stops we would love to have you, but please do not approach the birds or aviary without a Waldrapp team member.
CW 50
Release of Northern Bald Ibises into the wild in Andalusia (ES).
Diary Migration 2024
02. Oktober 2024
30. September 2024
29. September 2024
And once again we see how quickly circumstances can change on a project like this. Today we took off from Las Infantas with little confidence, taking 15 birds with us. In the end, 6 birds stayed with us, the rest returned to the airfield. But with these 6 birds we were able to fly around 120 kilometres to Puente Genil, where we were forced to land due to increasing winds. The birds were transported the rest of the way to the next airfield in Villamartin. There, all the birds and the entire team come together again. And from there it is only around 60 kilometres to Medina Sidonia airfield, which will be our destination this year.
Today was only a partial success, but for us it is the long-awaited, encouraging prelude to the grand finale 🙂
The weather is forecast to be good for the final flight over the next few days. We’ll let you know when we fly
23. September 2024
23. September 2024
Day 42 of migration, stage 16
Today it was ultimately the wind that forced us to turn back. After some initial hesitation, the birds from the Pozo Canada airfield followed us. But from an altitude of 50 meters, the headwind became too strong. We had to turn back and land at the airfield again. This didn’t come as a surprise to us, as the forecasts for the whole week predicted steady winds exactly against our direction of flight. But we wanted to give it a try and it was worth it. At least we were able to release all the birds (except for one injured bird) from the site. We are now transferring the birds to Beas de Segura on the eastern edge of the Cordoba Valley.
20. September 2024
Day 39 of migration
The livetrack showed that the Northern Bald Ibises refused to leave the runway today despite many attempts. They did not leave the runway area, mostly sat on the aviary and seemed very relaxed there.
We cannot conclusively interpret this behavior of the birds, which apparently does not change even after longer stays. Now we have to think about how to deal with it and how to proceed. We now have time to do this, as the weather will probably not allow us to make any progress over the next few days.
Despite everything, we are in a good mood in the team. After all, we have already migrated 1,800 km, have not lost any birds and are still within the time frame of last year’s migration.
14. September 2024
Day 33 of migration, stage 14
Today we had a great flight from the small Roquetes airfield on the Ebro to the Olocau airfield north of Valencia. Due to problems with previous flights, we are still flying with a reduced group. 25 young birds were with us and they flew brilliantly and highly motivated from the airfield. It was the longest flight of this migration so far, at 187 km non-stop. The flight route went along the coast and then into the hinterland before Valencia. In the last third of the flight we were able to use strong daytime thermals with the birds and reached altitudes of up to 880 meters.
From here we are leaving the coast. The next stage, which we will probably fly on Monday, takes us to Albacete in the highlands and from there we will reach the Cordoba Valley, which is already part of Andalusia.
:B.Steininger
11. September 2024
Day 30 of migration, stage 11
This migration has truly been a series of ups and downs. Yesterday morning, after a stay of almost a week and three unsuccessful flights we transported the birds in boxes from Ordis to Hostalric- around 80km. There we took off around 10:30 with hopes that the new location would motivate the birds to follow the plane. In the past, these measures have proven successful, unfortunately yesterday this was not the case. The birds circled and gained altitude but did not leave their place. This was a trying a trying experience from the team.
Despite these challenges, the team was not giving up, and we took off this morning with a reduced number of birds. We choose 21 birds that have flown reliably in the past. This morning the from the start the group followed reliably and flew without hesitation! It was a great flight past Barcelona heading towards the destination of the Bellvei airfield. After 96 kilometers, just 20 kilometers from Bellvei, the aircraft engine started to have problems and the wind became stronger and more turbulent. This forced the plane to make a tricky emergency landing at a nearby airfield, which fortunately went very well.
We then transported the birds from this airfield to an airfield near the mouth of the Ebro. This was a planned transport as the mouth of the Ebro is impassable due to several control zones that block the way. Additionally, after last year’s experience diverting to the hinterland seemed too difficult, making this transport the safest and most viable option. Overall, it was a very eventful and successful day.
:B.Steininger
9. September 2024
Day 24 of migration, 10th
Unfortunately another unsuccessful flight attempt. Even a two-day break could not change the birds’ motivation. They remained above the field and finally landed on the building next to the aviary. All of the foster mothers attempts to get the birds to fly with us failed and so we had to abort the flight for the third time and stay in Ordis.
This significant change in migration status has been seen in previous migration years. This year, however, the phenomenon is particularly pronounced. And this year, as in previous years, we are ultimately unable to find a conclusive explanation; there is no concrete pattern of behavior that would suggest a causal cause.
However, experience from previous years has shown that motivation changes again and the birds regain their motivation to migrate.
At the moment we are still well on schedule. We will decide today how to proceed.
:J.Fritz
5. September 2024
Day 24 of migration, 10th stage
Yesterday and today we had unsuccessful attempts to fly on from Ordis airfield. The birds refused consistently and completely. They mostly circled above the airfield and finally landed on the runway. Anyone who has experienced previous migrations will be familiar with this behavior. What was new today, however, was that the birds were practically waiting for their foster mother Helena to open the aviary gates. Within minutes, all the birds were back in the aviary. They could hardly show more clearly that they want a break. After all, we have already flown around 1,300 kilometers.
We want to give the birds a break and make it possible. We will migrate again next Sunday at the earliest.
:J.Fritz
3. September 2024
Day 22 of migration, 10th stage
What an exciting day! After yesterday’s frustrating day we had little hopes of the birds following the plane today. Additionally, we had a bad weather front approaching, giving us a window of opportunity only until 11am. It turned out to be an amazing flight of 127 kilometers, first along the coast and then over the foothills of the Pyrenees to Spain. We are now at the beautiful Ordis airfield. We are hoping to fly again tomorrow with a start at 7:30am. The team is incredibly excited to be in Spain! 🇪🇸
:H.Wehner
29.August 2024
Day 17 of migration, 9th stage
Yesterday we flew 102 kilometers from Saint Martin to Narbonne airfield in the South of France. The birds flew great from the start and followed the aircraft up to 300 meters above the ground! Unfortunately after 35 kilometers, the plane lost sight of some of the birds. The plane competed the flight in Narbonne with the remaining 19 birds.
After landing we were able to look at the GPS positions of the missing birds, and we discovered that they had continued to follow the plane. The team watched as the birds flew as close as 10 kilometers from the Narbonne airfield. Then, to our great disappointment, these missing birds turned around and flew the entire distance back to Saint Martin. One of the foster moms, Barbara, was waiting for them on the Saint Martin airfield and safely transported them to Narbonne. All 36 birds are now safe and sound in the Aviary in Narbonne.
Tomorrow the birds are enjoying a stopover day. We are waiting information from the weather experts on when we will be able to fly through this very difficult wind system between Narbonne and the Spanish border and over the pass to Spain.
:H.Wehner
28.August 2024
Day 16, 8th flight leg
Today we had anther great day of flying, covering 103 kilometers in 2:04 hours. We only stayed overnight in Ruoms for one night, and now we are camped at St. Martin de Londres airport north of Montepellier. The flight went very well for the majority of it, with birds being motivated and flying in formation. Unfortunately 20km before the destination, 12 birds turned back and returned to Ruoms. Luckily, foster mother, Helena, was able to return and transport the remaining birds by car. Looking at the weather forecast, tomorrow is a promising day to fly to Narbonne. The team is hoping to make this flight tomorrow, completing our last leg in France. From Narbonne we will fly across the border and enter Spain! 🇪🇸
:B.Steininger
27.August 2024
Day 15, 7th flight leg
The day could be described by flying 40 kilometers back and forth yet ending up back in Perouges. At first the birds reluctantly followed the aircraft but in the end they turned back. The team then made the decision to abort the flight and return to Perouges airfield. The team then had a difficult decision to make. We have had two unsuccessful take-offs from Perouges and previous experience has shown that it is unlikely that a third attempt would have been successful. Additionally, the input from the weather experts solidified our decision to transport the birds to the Ruoms airfield by car. Ruoms airfield is located just outside the Rhone valley, which has had predicated unfavorable weather for the next few days. Within the Rhone valley, if we stayed at the Perouges afield, we would have been unable to continue the migration for the foreseeable future.
The decision was a difficult one, as we don’t want to impair either the birds’ well-being or their subsequent migration behavior. However, stress during transportation can be largely avoided because only the foster parents handle the birds and are always with them. We know that it is imperative that young birds fly the migration route to learn it. However, numerous examples have shown that young birds can easily bridge unflown stages, even at long distances like the Rhone valley. This is due to the complex navigational ability of migratory birds, which enables them to navigate between breeding and wintering areas completely independently of the route flown as young birds. Parent-reared and human-reared birds often or usually fly a completely different, more direct route back to the breeding area than the one they took as young birds to the wintering area.
Now all the birds are safe and sound in their familiar aviary here we are regaining confidence. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow we will start from here and we hope that the birds will find their original motivation again.
:B.Steininger
23.August 2024
Day 11.
Today we tried to fly from Pérouges to Etoile Rhone-Ruoms, but the birds had other plans. At first the birds followed the plane perfectly, but after 10km around half of the group turned back. A second attempt to get the birds to follow the plane failed, and the planes had to return to Pérouges. It seems the fourth flight in a row was too demanding for the birds so today they are enjoying a break. While the team was excited to continue across France, we don’t mind another day at the Pérouges airfield with a swimming pool and croissants. It is not clear if we are able to fly tomorrow, will continue to update.
:B.Steininger
22.August 2024
Day 10, 6th flight leg.
Today was the third consecutive day of flying. We took off flying from the Lons airfield at 8:15am and had a scenic flight to the Perouge airfield near Lyon. We stopped at this airfield last year and the team was excited to return. The flight was over 105 kilometers, and the birds followed great! The first 30 kilometers had some ground fog, which the plane flew over. Luckily, the fog was light and there was still sufficient ground visibility for the pilot to see potential emergency landing stops. The view of the birds in formation over the fog was breathtaking. This flight we again had a second aircraft, which was flown by a very experienced pilot and another experienced Xcitor pilot flew as a copilot.
This year’s planning was supported by the flight weather service of the Austrian aviation supervisory authority Austrocontrol. These experts provide us with professional forecasts for each flight stage and are a great asset for this migration.
According to the experts, we could have another chance to fly tomorrow. We hope to make the most of this weather window before we are probably grounded for several days due to strong winds.
:H.Wehner
21.August 2024
Stage five of migration
Today was a very successful day for the migration. The birds did not hesitate to follow the plane today, and confidently flew the entire route. The birds flew from Besançon Thise to Lons, a total of 93km. Today was especially exciting because it was the first time we have flown with two planes. We had one plane serve as an observer with one of the foster mothers, where they watched the birds from a distance and provided visual support. This new pilot, Marco, runs his own flight school and is learning how to safely fly with birds. This is essential for the future of Waldrapp team!
The team is excited for our second stop in France and was treated to coffee at the Lons airfield! We are hoping to fly again tomorrow and continue our journey across France.
: B. Steininger
20.August 2024
Stage four of migration
Today was a very hectic day for the birds with the flight stage from Hütten-Hotzenwald to Besancon Thise. We had some technical difficulties this morning, causing us to have to start a second time. Because of this the birds landed and were no longer motivated to fly. After around an hour of calling the birds, and several trips back to Hütten-Hotzeneald, the birds started following the plane.
Unfortunately after that we had 19 birds return to the camp, then shortly after 4 more. One of the foster mothers raced back to the camp and sat with the birds. The foster mother then loaded all 23 birds into carriers and drove the birds to Besançon. The remaining 13 birds followed the plane the entire way. The birds are all safe and healthy after a stressful day, and we have officially made it into France 🇫🇷!
We are planning on flying tomorrow, so hopefully the birds will be motivated to fly! Never a boring day on the human-led migration
: G.Hartmann
16.August 2024
Stage three of migration
Today the birds flew from Kisslegg to Hütten Hotzenwald. Today was the longest flight distance yet of 171km, with the plane flying 3 hours and 51minutes. The plane reached a max speed of 62 km/h with an average of 46 km/h. Today was the last flight stage in Germany, after that we will enter France! The plane flew over lake konstanze for a bit and our birds were treated to a beautiful view. Today the majority of the birds flew at the altitude of the plane at 400m, but the last hour the birds started to really soar with the thermals. This slows down the plane, but the birds really loved it! From Ravensburg to Heiligenberg we followed the track of our former flight towards Tuscany, but in the opposite direction. From Binningen onwards we will follow the same flight path as last years migration! We have arrived almost a week earlier than last year in Hütten-Hotzenwald, and we are excited for some familiar airfields!
We are unable to fly for the next two days due to weather conditions, but there is the potential for us to fly on Monday. If you want to watch the plane and birds take off, please arrive at the airfield by 7:15am the day of and follow directions from Waldrapp team on where you can stand. Thank you to everyone who has come to visit and support the project!
: A.Welch
15.August 2024
Stage two of the migration to Spain.
Today we flew from Paterzell to Kissleg which was 98km. Our maximum speed was 60km/h and our average speed was at least 50km/h because we had a tailwind. The flight time was 1 hour and 58 minutes. This was the first time the birds took off from a destination that was not our training camp in Taching am See. They were nervous at first and some refused to leave the aviary. Luckily our foster mothers were able to motivate them and they took off. The birds flew over some beautiful mountains, and have been catching the thermal winds for the first time. This flight was the first time all the birds stayed at the altitude of the plane at 300m and did not split into two groups!
: G.Hartmann
13. August 2024
First day of migration!
We just completed the first stage of the flight to Spain, and the team is excited but exhausted after the first day. We flew 141km and it took the plane around 3:01 hours and landed in Paterzell. Our average speed was 48km/h because we had supporting winds with a maximum speed of 63 km/h. After arrival the team encountered some storms but luckily, we were able to grab our tents before they flew away. We are grateful to everyone who was able to visit the migration camp to see us leave. Thank you for all the support!
: B.Steininger
26. July 2024
Today was another successful flight training in sunny Bavaria. This week the birds have been amazing and have been following the microlight plane very closely. Today the birds followed over 20km, a huge step for the team. The ground team car driven by our camp leader, Lisa, was able to follow the microlight plane throughout the entire journey! Our pilot, Johannes Fritz, was confident that the birds could have followed significantly longer, and is hopeful for the start of the migration in two weeks.
For anyone interested in watching a flight training with the birds, we are hosting public viewing on the 8th of August or on the 9th of August, if the weather is bad. Flight training is highly weather dependent, with the team unable to fly in rain or high winds. To prioritze the safety of our team and the birds, we review the weather in the early morning of flight training days, and our pilot decides if we are safe to fly. Due to these circumstances, we will release an announcement at 6am on the morning of the 8th if flight training is happening. On the day of the public flight training, please arrive by 7:45 at the latest at our training camp at Schröckenbauer 1, 83373 Taching am See.
Thank you all for your continued support of this project!
: A. Welch
16. July 2024
The flight training has continued, and the birds are slowly learning how to follow the plane. The other day we had a surprise guest! A bird from hand-raising two years ago, Ama, showed up to the flight training and landed with the juvenile birds. Ama was raised by one of the current foster mothers, Helena, who was able to safely capture her and bring her back to the Kuchl colony. The current challenge is teaching the birds to follow the microlight plane across the forest. The birds are very hesitant because they have never crossed an obstacle like this before. But as our other foster mother Babsi said, “there are a lot of forests on the way to Spain.” So the birds must eventually learn to trust the plane. Overall the team is feeling optimistic and excited to continue training.
: B. Steininger
06. July 2024
Exciting news, today was the first day our microlight plane took off and had a practice flight around the migration camp, landing in a nearby field. The flight went incredibly well, and the birds started to understand how to follow the plane. One of the foster mothers rode in the plane while the other called for the birds from the landing field. The birds are able to recognize the foster mothers call, which teaches them to follow the plane. The birds are not ready to fly to Spain yet, but they are growing more confident everyday!
: A. Welch
02. July 2024
Right now the birds are learning to follow the microlight plane on the ground, so they will be able to follow it in the air. Today was the first day we used the parachute on the microlight, and got the birds used to it. So far, training is progressing well and we are hoping for sunny weather for flying for the next couple weeks! During the past week, we have also had some guests come to the camp to learn more about the Northern Bald Ibis, including a kindergarten class! Our camp leader, Lisa, got to teach these young kids about the reintroduction of the Northern Bald Ibis and show them what we feed the birds. Overall, it has been an exciting couple weeks!
: B. Steininger
18. June 2024
Today was the first free flight for our Northern Bald Ibis! The first free flight consists of the birds leaving the aviary for the first time, catching the thermal winds and circling around the camp to orient themselves for the first time. Once the birds are oriented they will never get lost again, making today incredibly important. Our birds did an amazing job with the free flight, and all 36 of the birds returned on their own, which is very rare. One of our birds, Fluffy, got chased by a kestrel, and landed on the roof of the camp barn out of fright. Luckily, one of our foster mothers was able to get Fluffy and walk back to the aviary with the fledgling waddling behind. Another one of our birds, Aragog, was lost for several hours with repeated attempts to return to camp thwarted by the kestrel. Finally, the bird was able to circumvent the kestrel and landed right in front of the aviary with the foster mothers. Overall, this was an incredibly successful first free flight and our entire team is overjoyed.
: J. Fritz
10. June 2024
Some exciting fledging updates! Currently, all 36 of the birds have fledged and the team is so excited! The last bird to fledge was Schnapsi, the smallest of the chicks who kept the foster mothers waiting several days while the rest of the birds flew around the aviary. With the fledging of the last bird, we can start flight training this week. The microlight plane also arrived at the farm today, and it will be moved outside the aviary so the birds can start to recognize it. The past two weekends during visiting hours we have had the opportunity to meet several members from the community and talk with them about the Northern Bald Ibis. If you live in Bavaria, we would love to see you during the visiting hours and talk to you about the upcoming migration.
The visiting hours for June are:
Friday-Sunday 3pm-5pm
: H. Wehner
03. June 2024
The past week has been incredibly rainy weather, with strong winds and flooding affecting Bavaria. Despite this difficult weather, our determined chicks have not been deterred from exploring the aviary with their foster moms. Over the past couple days, Diva, Voldemort, Aragog, Dixit, Grindelwald, Canasta, Uno, Catan Queenie, Colin, Fluffy, Zilly and Levante have all fledged. The foster mothers are so proud of these chicks, especially for persevering throughout the weather. We are hoping for sunshine and even more chicks fledging for the rest of the week!
: B. Steininger
25. May 2024
The past several days have been very exciting for our juvenile birds! Today, Genti was the first bird to fledge, and it looks like the rest of the birds aren’t far behind. The birds qualify as fledged when they leave the raising wagon, fly around the aviary and return back to the wagon. Our two foster mothers, Helena and Barbara, are extremely proud of their offspring and excited to see the rest of the chicks fledge. We will keep you updated as the rest of the bald ibis’s work up the courage to fly next.
: B. Steininger
22. May 2024
Surrounded by a rural idyll, we have already received a very warm welcome to our new home for the next three months. The first chicks are already exploring the ramp of the raising-wagon and peering curiously into the aviary. We are excited to see which Northern Bald Ibis will be the first to fledge and fly.
We invite all interested people to visit us at the information tent (Schröckenbauer 1, 83373 Taching am See) from Saturday, June 1st. We will be available on site at the following times:
Friday to Sunday from 3 – 5 pm
You can join us in a guided group to observe the Northern Bald Ibises at these times. As we do not want to frighten the Northern Bald Ibises and they must not get used to other people, we ask you to refrain from visiting on your own.
If you have any questions, feel free to call us on
+49 152 524 246 97
: B. Steininger
16. May 2024
Today our chicks set off on their first big journey. After the two foster mothers, Helena and Barbara, took care of the chicks as usual in the morning, the rest of the team packed all the necessary things for the move from Rosegg Zoo in Carinthia to the training camp in Taching am See.
The chicks and their foster mothers arrived at the training camp in the early evening, where they immediately made themselves at home.
We would like to thank the team at Rosegg Zoo for their active support and all the other helpers who supported us with the hand-raising in Rosegg. All the chicks survived the trip well and are continuing to put on weight.
: B. Steininger
07. May 2024
We are delighted that all the chicks have settled in well in their new nests so far and are already making great progress in their development!
Our biggest chick Voldemort already weighs a proud 1013g, our youngest chick Schnapsi 166g. But even the smallest ones will soon catch up.
On May 16th we will start the big trip to Taching am See in the afternoon. There, visitors will be able to observe the Northern Bald Ibises and find out more about the project.
: B. Steininger
30. April 2024
The time has finally come: due to the changeable weather, which has really put a spanner in the works, our breeding pairs in Rosegg were in a breeding mood about 2 weeks later than usual this year. But now we have our 36 chicks in the breeding container, a new record! The two foster mothers Helena and Babsi will look after their nestlings with a lot of dedication and love over the next few months. From sunrise to sunset, the two will be with the hungry chicks, who are currently still being fed 8 times a day. In mid-May, the team and the chicks will move on to Taching am See, and in the meantime, the young birds will get plenty of cuddles.
: B. Steininger
April 2024
Planned collection of chicks for hand-raising.
: B. Steininger