Scavenger vulture, White scavenger vulture, Pharaoh's chicken
The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a small Old World vulture widely distributed from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa to India. The contrasting underwing pattern and wedge-shaped tail make this bird distinctive in flight as it soars in thermals during the warmer parts of the day.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ScavengerScavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While sc...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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Soaring birdsSoaring birds can maintain flight without wing flapping, using rising air currents. Many gliding birds are able to "lock" their extended wings by m...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Partial MigrantPartial migration is when within a migratory species or even within a single population, some individuals migrate while others do not.
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Smart AnimalsThe plumage of an adult Egyptian vulture is white, with black flight feathers in the wings. Wild birds usually appear soiled with a rusty or brown shade to the white plumage, derived from mud or iron-rich soil. Captive specimens without access to soil have clean white plumage. It has been suggested as a case of cosmetic coloration. The bill is slender and long, and the tip of the upper mandible is hooked. The nostril is an elongated horizontal slit. The neck feathers are long and form a hackle. The wings are pointed, with the third primary being the longest; the tail is wedge-shaped. The legs are pink in adults and grey in juveniles. The claws are long and straight, and the third and fourth toes are slightly webbed at the base. The bill is black in the nominate subspecies but pale or yellowish in adults of the smaller Indian ginginianus. The facial skin is yellow and unfeathered down to the throat. The sexes are indistinguishable in plumage but breeding males have a deeper orange facial skin colour than females. Females average slightly larger and are about 10-15% heavier than males. Young birds are blackish or chocolate brown with black and white patches. The adult plumage is attained only after about five years.
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. 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.
The social behavior of Egyptian vultures varies according to the resources available. Many of them will gather together at preferred feeding places with abundant resources, along with immature birds and other carnivores. Otherwise, they forage alone or as a pair. Egyptian vultures are diurnal birds and hunt by sight only, not smell. They mostly seek food in open areas where they can see carcasses from very high up. Rather than spotting prey themselves, they often observe other vultures lower in the sky, circling over a potential meal. The group then may perch on a tree above the intended meal to wait before feeding. An individual’s home range, or that of a mating pair, or group of family members extends further than the territory it defends and often includes human refuse areas or places where livestock are held. Males will perform repeated battles in flight to defend nesting territory.
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. It may include bits of old rags, hair, and fur. During the period of breeding, the male will perform swooping displays for his mate, and during courtship, the two of them engage in talon grappling. 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. Young Egyptian vultures reach reproductive maturity when they are 6 years old.
One of the primary threats facing this species is illegal poisoning aimed at carnivores. Furthermore, the widespread treatment of livestock with Diclofenac may have caused the sudden population decline in India, as vultures eat domestic animals’ carcasses. 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. 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.
The IUCN Red List reports that there are about 20,000-61,000 individuals in the total Egyptian vulture population, roughly equal to 13,000-41,000 mature individuals. The breeding population in Europe is estimated as 3,300-5,050 breeding pairs, being 9,900-15,150 individuals. Overall, currently, Egyptian vultures are classified as Endangered (En), and today their numbers are decreasing.
Egyptian vultures eat carcasses, trash, and feces, playing an important role in removing and recycling organic waste. They also eat small animals and the eggs of other birds and therefore may influence the population size of such prey.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...