Riyadh Zoo

Open Today
10:00 am-5:00 pm
 
ClearBtnText Search
العربية
Egyptian Vulture
Egyptian vultures are small Old-World vultures. Their adult plumage is white, and there are some black feathers on the wings and tail. The plumage dulls quickly due to the bird’s habit of stalking around a carcass, waiting its turn, on ground that is usually dusty, so before a molt the feathers are beige more than pure white. Individuals also occasionally cover themselves with soil that contains iron oxide, which makes their plumage a pinkish buff. The smallest of Europe’s four vulture species, the Egyptian vulture is also the most endangered of these four.

General Information:


Common Name:Egyptian Vulture
Scientific Name:Neophron percnopterus
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order:Accipitriformes
Family:Accipitridae

Description
Egyptian vultures are small Old-World vultures. Their adult plumage is white, and there are some black feathers on the wings and tail. The plumage dulls quickly due to the bird’s habit of stalking around a carcass, waiting its turn, on ground that is usually dusty, so before a molt the feathers are beige more than pure white. Individuals also occasionally cover themselves with soil that contains iron oxide, which makes their plumage a pinkish buff. The smallest of Europe’s four vulture species, the Egyptian vulture is also the most endangered of these four.

Distribution
Egyptian vultures occur in southern Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. Isolated populations live in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands. Birds that breed in the temperate regions migrate south in winter while tropical populations are relatively sedentary.

Habitat
Egyptian vultures generally inhabit arid open areas such as steppe, desert, cereal fields, and pastures, but need rocky sites for nesting. They are often found near where humans live, for example, in or near towns, and around slaughterhouses, rubbish dumps, and fishing ports.

Diet
Being carnivores and scavengers, Egyptian vultures eat carrion. However, they will also prey on small mammals, birds, and reptiles. They also feed on the eggs of other birds, breaking larger ones by tossing a large pebble onto them. Egyptian vultures are monogamous, migrating between breeding seasons as a pair. They build a large nest and will constantly replenish it during the breeding season. The breeding season varies a little between populations in different areas, but eggs are usually laid between March and May. Usually, two eggs are laid, and they are incubated for a period of 39-45 days by both parents. The male and female both feed their chicks until they fledge 70 to 85 days after hatching. At about 4 months old, the chicks are independent. Once chicks have fledged, they can be seen flying in their home range with their parents. They leave their parents when migration from the breeding grounds starts. They reach maturity when they are 6 years old.

Threats
  1. One of the primary threats facing this species is illegal poisoning aimed at carnivores.
  2. Furthermore, the widespread treatment of livestock with Diclofenac may have caused the sudden population to decline in India, as vultures eat domestic animals’ carcasses.
  3. In Africa, particularly in Sudan, and in Spain, particularly in the Canary Islands, many vultures die by being electrocuted by transmission lines that are poorly designed. In many parts of Africa, these birds are captured to be used for medicinal purposes.
  4. The Egyptian vulture in Europe has suffered due to disturbance, the greatly reduced availability of food, lead poisoning from a gunshot, electrocution by power lines, and direct poisoning.


IUCN Status
Endangered