International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD10)!
Snip-bits from the Globalbirdtrekkers’ Bird Guide: Common Names: Monk Vulture, Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus
Length: 98-120cm
Wingspan: 250-300cm
Weight: 7-14kg
© Mark Grissom Interesting Facts:
# This is one of the world's heaviest flying birds and one of the largest birds of prey in the world.
# In its range, it is the best suited for tearing through carcass skins and is the dominant vulture at carcasses. Status: Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List
Common Names: Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Length: 65cm
Wingspan: 1.5m
Weight: 2-2.75kg
© David Cree
Interesting Facts:
# It has a keen eyesight which is used for finding food.
# This vulture does not have a vocal organ thus uses grunts and low hisses for vocalization.
# They are legally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
# American Black Vultures appear in the Mayan codices and are connected to death.
Status: Least Concern on the IUCN Red List Common Names: Lammergeier, Bearded Vulture-Eagle, Ossifrage (Bone breaker))
Gypaetus barbatus
Length: 110cm
Wingspan: 263-282cm
Weight: 5,2-6,25g
© Mitchell Krog
Interesting Facts:
# Bones are dropped onto flat rocks in order to break the bone up into many pieces which are small enough to swallow. They are accurately dropped at heights of 50-150m. The same place in which bones are dropped are used for many years.
# 200 pairs have been recorded in South Africa.
# Adults have a home range of 40km in diameter but Immatures have a further range.
# Their rusty colour is obtained by the iron oxide whilst dusting or bathing. This is the reason why they are paler after the rain.
# Bearded Vultures have been successfully re-introduced into the Alps however they are one of the rarest raptors in Europe.
# The common name, Lämmergeier, means "lamb-vulture" or "lamb-hawk". This refers to the believe of these vultures attacking lamb.
# In Iran mythology, it is believed to be a symbol of good luck and happiness.
Status: Least Concern on the IUCN Red List Common Names: Nubian vulture or Eared vulture Torgos tracheliotus
Length: 78-115cm
Wingspan: 2.5-3m
Weight: 4,4-8,5kg
© Vearl Brown
Interesting Facts:
# This vulture is part of the 'Big Six Birds' of Kruger National Park, South Africa.
# It is not closely related to the superficially similar New World vultures, and does not share the good sense of smell of some members of that group.
Status: Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List Common Names: Rüppell's Griffon, Rüppell's Griffin Vulture Gyps rueppellii
Length: 85-97cm
Wingspan: 2.6m
Weight: 7-9kg
Interesting Facts:
# They can fly over heights of 6000m with a record of 11300m.
# Sometimes groups of more than 100 birds feed together.
# They depend on sight to locate their food.
# These Vultures will gorge themselves until they are unable to fly.
# The Ruëppell's Vulture was named in honor of Eduard Rüppel, a German explorer, collector and zoologist.
# In West Africa, Rueppell's Griffon has been heavily exploited for use in Black Magic.
Status: Near threatened on the IUCN Red List Common Names: Turkey Buzzard, Buzzard, Carrion Crow Cathartes aura
Length: 64–81cm
Wingspan: 170–183cm
Weight: 0.85–2.26kg
© Dieter Schaefer
Interesting Facts:
# The Turkey Vulture is the most widespread vulture of the New World vultures with a global population of 4,500,000 individuals.
# They are legally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
# Their lifespan can be expected to be 16 years or more.
# They have a keen eyesight and sense of smell in order to locate carrion.
# Turkey Vultures lack a vocal organ therefore their vocalizations consist of grunts and low hisses.
# These vultures lower their night-time body temperature by about 6 °C to 34 °C , becoming slightly hypothermic.
# They often defecates on their own legs to cool their blood vessels in their legs and feet.
Status: Least Concern on the IUCN Red List Common Names: African White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus
Length: 94cm
Wingspan: 218 cm
Weight: 4.2-7.2kg
© Lee Kip Yap
Interesting Facts:
# While gliding, they can reach speeds of 58-65km/h with dives of 120km/h.
# Their population is estimated to be 270,000 individuals.
# They are the most common and widespread vulture in Africa.
Status: Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List Common Names: Thunder Bird Gymnogyps californianus
Length: 1.3m
Wingspan: 2.49-3m
Weight: 9-11kg
Interesting Facts:
# Condors are capable of flushing in response to their emotional state.
# California Condors can survive for several days without feeding. They travel 250 km in search for food. When they find food, they often gorge themselves on 1-1.5kg of meat, sometimes to the point of being unable to lift themselves off the ground.
# Speeds of up to 90km/h are known to be reached when they are flying with heights of 4,600m.
# These condors play a role in many traditional myths. The bones of the condors have been found in North American graves.
# They are the largest North American land bird. Occasionally, they are mistaken for small distant aeroplanes.
# They live for up to 50 years making them one of the world's longest-living birds.
# In 1987, all remaining condors in California were trapped for a breeding programme in order to save them from extinction. Numbers plummeted as a result of poaching, lead poisoning and habitat destruction. Once the birds are re-introduced into the wild, they are monitored via radio transmitters and tags.
# California Condors are one of the world's rarest bird species. There are 172 wild individuals.
# My Condor documents released California Condors and gives personal information regarding the condors such as birth date, personality traits, pairs and foster chicks.
Status: Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List
List of Old World and New World vulture species Old World vultures: - Eurasian Black Vulture or Monk Vulture, Aegypius monachus
- Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus
- Palm-nut vulture, Gypohierax angolensi
- Griffon vulture, Gyps fulvus
- Indian White-Rumped vulture, Gyps bengalensis
- Rüppell’s vulture or Rüppell’s griffon vulture, Gyps rueppelli
- Long-billed Vulture or Indian Vulture, Gyps indicus
- Slender-billed Vulture, Gyps tenuirostris
- Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Gyps himalayensis
- White-backed Vulture, Gyps africanus
- Cape Griffon, Gyps coprotheres
- Hooded Vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus
- Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus
- Red-headed Vulture, Sarcogyps calvus
- Lappet-faced Vulture, Torgos tracheliotus
- White-headed Vulture, Trigonoceps occipitalis
New World vultures, including condors: - Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
- Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Cathartes melambrotus
- Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Cathartes burrovianus
- King Vulture, Sarcorhamphus papa
- American Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus
- California Condor, Gymnogyps californianus
- Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus
» 1 Comment
1Comment
at Monday, 06 September 2010 08:16
A lovely contribution to IVAD2010, Candy!
Very well done!
» Post Comment
Only registered users can write a comment.
Please login or register.
Related news items:
|
.gif "Africa Birds and Birding Magazine")
The Sociable Nest 
