The Bizarre Bird That's Invading Northern Italy Looks So Strange

A bird with a striking appearance has been turning heads across Northern Italy, primarily in the wetlands and farmlands of Emilia-Romagna. With its white feathers, black, bald head, and long, curved beak, it looks like a creature from ancient mythology or a child's drawing. The unique look of this bird isn't what's raising alarms, though. Once revered in ancient Egypt, this invasive species now poses an ecological threat to the Italian countryside. Its name? The African sacred ibis — a bird you never want to see at your backyard feeder.

The ibis is native to sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Iraq, and Yemen, where it thrives in marshy wetlands and mud flats, feeding on frogs, eggs, larvae, and chicks of native birds. How the species ended up in Italy is unknown; a 2021 study in Scientific Reports claims it's not clear whether the birds escaped from zoos or private breeders or if they made their way over from wild populations in France. What is known is that the birds started multiplying, and by 2019, the number of ibises in Northwest Italy reached over 10,800.

These birds are now nesting in cities like Bologna, Modena, and Ferrara, but they shouldn't be. As an invasive species, the African sacred ibis now threatens biodiversity (since they prey on native species) and related ecosystem services in Italy. This risk can worsen with climate change, transport, tourism, and increased global trade. The good news is, people are taking action not just in Italy, but in other European countries.

Dealing with the sacred ibis invasion is no simple task, but the bird is listed on the European Commission's list of Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern. This means that European Union countries are obligated to take action to limit their ecological damage. In addition to the threat to biodiversity, the African sacred ibis poses a risk to public health, since these birds feed in waste areas and could spread disease to farm animals.

In Italy, the Tuscany region stepped up with a formal, region-wide plan targeting the sacred ibis and other invasive species over a two-year period. The strategy involves funding of nearly a million dollars to support control efforts. These efforts include monitoring, population management, and removal initiatives in line with national environmental guidelines from Italy's Institute for Environmental Protection.

Other European countries have also made progress. Spain, for example, has completely eliminated its sacred ibis population and follows a strict shoot-on-sight policy for any new arrivals. France has also managed to cut down the number of these birds through organized culling (killing for population control), but some are still around in that area. With continued population control methods, it's possible for the species to be completely eradicated from Italy. 

Curious about other invasive species? Check out the invasive U.S. insect with an appetite for destruction you should never ignore, or why science says cats are one of the world's most invasive species.