None of the diverse clan of ibises is going to take home a beauty contest trophy--not once the judges get a good look at the heads. The Northern bald ibis is no exception.
To be honest, I have yet to come across an attractive bald bird. Birds, even the head, are meant to be feathered. So I'm not disparaging the Northern bald ibis. Not by any means. In fact, I'd like to see more of them. They're teetering on the verge of extinction in their native Mediterranean, African, and Middle Eastern lands. It's only due to captive breeding programs and conservation efforts that these birds stand a chance.
Photos by Zoë Power
Would that the Egyptian god Thoth would intervene on behalf of the ibis (of all the animal heads Thoth could have been adorned with, he got dealt the ibis head). How about it Thoth? Any chance you'll take a break from your re-write of the Book of the Dead and judging souls to take up the Northern bald ibis's plight?
Apr 27, 2009
How About It Thoth?
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3 comments:
I dunno, I think the scarlet ibis is pretty lovely. The sacred ibis is pretty nice too. Actually, so is most of the rest of the family.
Very cool bird. Bald can be fascinating with birds considering how old and prehistoric they are. I've always enjoyed looking at bird feet (no, not a fetish). It's interesting to see how much they have evolved.
Don't know if it's been mentioned, but when you've got a bald bird you've got a carrion-eater. They're bald because, evolutionarily, it's better that way when you eat by sticking your head into rotting carcasses.
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