Where to see
Where to see the Southern Bald Ibis in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Southern Bald Ibis at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Giants Castle Game Reserve.
Geronticus calvus · Near Threatened
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Southern Bald Ibis
Hosts have recorded the Southern Bald Ibis at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Giants Castle Game Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Near Threatened
Species
Geronticus calvus
Records
605
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Southern Bald Ibis on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Southern Bald Ibis in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Southern Bald Ibis at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve, Ithala Game Reserve, Kamberg Nature Reserve and Royal Natal National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Southern Bald Ibis in South Africa?
The Southern Bald Ibis is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (47% of records), Mpumalanga (32% of records), Free State (14% of records), based on 605 iNaturalist observations. 21 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Southern Bald Ibis on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Southern Bald Ibis?
The Southern Bald Ibis is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Giants Castle Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Ithala Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Southern Bald Ibis?
The Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus) is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Southern Bald Ibis?
The southern bald ibis (Geronticus calvus) is a large bird found in open grassland or semi-desert in the mountains of southern Africa.Taxonomically, it is most closely related to its counterpart in the northern regions of Africa, the waldrapp. As a species, it has a very restricted homerange, limited to the southern tips of South Africa in highland and mountainous regions.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Southern Bald Ibis
Every stay on the Southern Bald Ibis page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay