An award-winning photograph captures the remarkable effort of a couple who guided a flock of 36 Northern Bald Ibis on a 1,615-mile migration from Germany to Spain by following them in a paraglider.
Helena Wehner and Johannes Fritz, part of the Austrian conservation group Waldrappteam, are dedicated to reintroducing the endangered Northern Bald Ibis to Europe. The birds, which became extinct in Europe over 400 years ago, had lost their natural migratory instincts. Researchers must now physically teach them the routes south for the winter.
The flock imprints on their human caretakers from the first two weeks of life, forming a strong social bond that motivates them to follow the aircraft for thousands of kilometers. The birds were hatched in April in Rosegg, Austria, and spent three months at a training camp in Taching am See, Bavaria, where they learned to follow a microlight aircraft. The flock was guided with calls and shouts during their journey.
An image taken in Jaén, southern Spain, shows the birds flying over Andalusian fields, completing their 50-day journey. Photographer Gunnar Hartmann described the atmosphere on the morning the photo was taken as tense, as the birds had been struggling with motivation. The journey began in August and concluded in October, after which the birds were kept in an aviary to acclimatize before release.
The Northern Bald Ibis historically migrated south to escape European winters, crossing the Austrian Alps. However, climate change has weakened the thermals necessary for this crossing, prompting the Waldrappteam to alter the destination to Spain. The ultimate goal is for these birds to return to their breeding grounds in Germany by their third year and eventually lead future migrations independently.
Despite the successful reintroduction, the migratory journey presents significant challenges. In the previous year, adverse weather conditions and a collision with a power line resulted in injuries to some birds. This year, 32 new birds have been hatched, and microlight training is scheduled to commence in July.
The photograph of the paraglider-guided migration was the winner of Nature's 2026 Scientist at Work photography competition, which aims to showcase the diverse realities of scientific research globally. Other winning images from the competition included work on coral adaptation to rising sea temperatures in the Red Sea.