Africa Wild Bird Book

[Toko]

123. White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus (Witrugaasvoël)
Order: Accipitriformes. Family: Accipitridae

Description
Length 90-98 cm; wingspan 212-228 cm.
Bare Parts: Iris dark brown; bill and cere black; bare skin of head dark grey; skin of lower neck blackish; legs and feet black.
Large size; body plumage generally brown, faintly streaky; old birds become very pale. Iris dark; face blackish, neck pink; white lower back conspicuous when flying away; buffy white under wing contrasts with dark remiges.
Immature: Darker than adult; lower back streaked brown and white; under parts streaked light and dark; under wing mottled brown and white.
Chick: Grayish brown; iris dark brown; cere and legs Grayish black.
Similar species: Adult difficult to distinguish from the larger Cape Vulture unless the white back is seen, but at close range the eye is dark (not honey-coloured). Cape Vulture has pale yellowish iris; no white on back; paler coloration overall; larger size.


Distribution
Occurs in Africa south of the Sahel, avoiding the lowland forest of the DRC. In southern Africa it is locally common across the northern half of the region, extending into the savanna and grassland of South Africa.



Habitat
It generally prefers arid savanna with scattered trees, such as Mopane (Colosphermum mopane), largely avoiding forests, deserts, treeless grassland and shrubland.

Diet
Carrion specialist preferring softer parts of the carcass; usually outnumber other vultures at the kill. It searches aerially until it spots a carcass, or alternatively follows mammalian carnivores and other scavenging birds to the carcass. Once on the scene, it is extremely aggressive to the other feeding animals, pushing them out of the way and outstretching its neck and wings in a threat display, so that it can access the meat. It is generally a subordinate to larger vultures, in fact in the feeding frenzy it sometimes become stuck in the carcass and is eaten by the other scavengers! It rarely hunts and kills its own prey, such as young Springbok, Red-billed quelea chicks and Warthog.

Breeding
Monogamous and usually semi-colonial, nesting either singly or in loose colonies of up to 10 pairs, 50-200 m apart in scattered trees. The nest is a platform of sticks lined with dry grass and sometimes green leaves, typically placed on the top of tree or on a man-made structure, about 7-25 m. Egg-laying season is from June-September in KwaZulu-Natal, and from April-July elsewhere in southern Africa. It almost always lays one egg, which is incubated by both sexes for about 56-58 days. At first, the chick is almost constantly brooded by both parents, who change shifts 1-2 times per day. Both adults feed the chick, who eventually leaves the nest at about 108-140 days old, becoming fully independent about 5-6 months later.

Call
Usually silent; squeals, hisses and grunts at carcasses. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common resident. This species has declined severely in parts of its range owing to habitat loss and conversion to agro-pastoral systems, declines in wild ungulate populations, hunting for trade, persecution, collisions and poisoning. For this reason it has been uplisted to Endangered in 2012 on the IUCN Red List.

[Toko]

123. White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus (Witrugaasvoël)

© Pumbaa

© pooky
They had obviously had a good feed - their crops looked very full (Kruger National Park)

© BluTuna

© BluTuna

© leachy
Adult

© Dewi
Adult

© leachy
Subadult

© Toko
Nest, Kruger National Park

© Flutterby

Links:
Sabap2: http://sabap2.adu.org.za/species_info.p ... #menu_left
Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa
Global Raptor Information Network
Ian Sinclair, SASOL VOELS VAN SUIDER AFRICA (3de UIT]
Oiseaux net: http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-af-wh ... lture.html

[nan]

939. Rüppell's Vulture, Rüppell's Griffon Gyps rueppellii (Rüppelse Aasvoël)
Order: Accipitriformes. Family: Accipitridae

Gyps rueppellii.jpg (43.85 KiB) Viewed 1797 times

Description
Intermediate in size between Cape and White-backed vultures: 95-107 cm.
Adult Sexes are alike: mottled brown or black overall with a white-brown underparts and thin, dirty-white fluff covering the head and neck. White collar, yellow or amber eye, the crop patch deep chocolate brown. In flight as seen from below, notice the white line behind the front edge of the arm.
Juvenile: Body is dark and streaked, underwing relatively uniform with little contrast between flight feathers and coverts.
Similar species: A larger vulture than the similar White-backed Vulture, Rüppell's is reliably told from that species by its cream-coloured bill at all ages. Adult birds also show obvious pale scalloping to the wing feathers and never a white rump in flight.

Distribution
Occurs in a band across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia south through Kenya and Uganda to Tanzania. It is a rare vagrant to southern Africa, with records in three different localities - Wabai Hill and Featherstone in southern Zimbabwe, as well as Blouberg in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Habitat
It generally prefers arid mountainous habitats, although it may move into plains, savannas and steppes in search of food.

Diet
They feed on large animal carcasses. They have been known to take live prey on occasion, but this is rare.

Breeding
Rueppell’s Vultures breed on cliff faces in colonies of tens to thousands of pairs where they lay their eggs on to a platform of sticks lined with grass, placed on an open ledge. It sometimes also nests in trees. A single egg is laid, generally after the long rainy season, and incubated for 55 days. The parents share the responsibility of caring for the downy grey chick that hatches, which fledges at around 150 days of age.

Status
Rare visitor to South Africa. Common resident in Eastern Africa. Rueppell's Vulture is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, and listed on Appendix II of CITES.

[nan]

939. Rüppell's Vulture, Rüppell's Griffon Gyps rueppellii

© nan
Rüppell's Vulture (in the middle), Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania.

[Flutterby]

122. Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres (Kransaasvoel)
Order: Accipitriformes. Family: Accipitridae

Description
A very large vulture with near-naked head and neck; pale whitish to buffy with strongly contrasting blackish wings and tail. Adult creamy-buff, with contrasting dark flight- and tail-feathers. Pale buff neck-ruff. Underwing in flight has pale silvery secondary feathers and black alula. Yellowish eye, black bill, bluish throat and facial skin, dark neck. Paired blue bare patches on either side of crop. The two prominent bare skin patches at the base of the neck, are thought to be temperature sensors and used for detecting the presence of thermals.
Juveniles and immatures generally darker and more streaked, with brown to orange eyes and red neck. Sexes are alike and juveniles are slightly darker than adults with dark eyes and pink neck and throat patches; first breeding at 4-6 years old. Chick: Dull downy white; iris black; bill and feet blackish.
Similar species: Larger and paler than White-backed Vulture, blueish face, thicker neck with less down; no white patch on back.. Eye light yellow (dark brown in White-backed Vulture).

Distribution
Near-endemic to southern Africa, occurring in patches of Namibia, southern Zimbabwe, Lesotho and north-eastern and south-eastern South Africa, with a localised population in the Western Cape; it is a rare vagrant to Angola. The main colony of Cape Vultures in the vicinity of Kruger nests in the escarpment near Mariep’s Kop in the Hoedspruit area.
Currently, the global population estimate is 4 400 breeding pairs and about 8 000 individuals. They occur in two nodes: a northern node with colonies in southern Botswana and the Limpopo, Gauteng and north west provinces of South Africa, and a southern node in Lesotho, western KwaZulu-Natal and the Transkei region of the Eastern Cape. Approximately 60 per cent of the global population is found in the northern node and 30 per cent in the southern node.

Habitat
Mountainous areas but range widely in surrounding areas. Breeds on cliffs.

Diet
Carrion specialist feeding on the softer parts of the carcass, searching aerially for a carcass to feed on. They can eat 1.5kg at a sitting, which is over 15 percent of the weight of an adult bird and can do this in five minutes. It slices off flesh with the sharp edge of its bill eating it and storing some in its crop, which can sustain it for about three days.

Breeding
Monogamous colonial nester, breeding in colonies. They nest and roost on cliffs and usually lay one egg per year. The nest is mainly built by the female, consisting of a bulky platform of sticks, twigs and dry grass, with a shallow cup in the centre lined with smaller sticks and grass. It is typically placed on a cliff ledge, often using the same site over multiple breeding seasons. The breeding season is between May and June with a single egg laid, which is incubated by both sexes for about 55 to 59 days. The chick is brooded constantly for the first 72 days, while both parents feed it. It eventually leaves the nest at about 125-171 days old, becoming fully independent about 15 to 221 days later.

Status
Locally common, near-endemic. Vulnerable globally. It is regionally extinct in Swaziland and Critically Endangered in Namibia. Its global population has decreased dramatically, the current population is estimated at 8,000. This is thought to have been largely caused by habitat loss, persecution for use in traditional medicine, human disturbance of colonies, poisoning and improvements in animal husbandry resulting in a decreased availability of carrion. It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

[Flutterby]

122. Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres (Kransaasvoel)

Flutterby

© Sharifa
Adult

© Sharifa
Juvenile

© Sharifa

Links:
Species text Sabap1: http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/122.pdf
Sabap2: http://sabap2.adu.org.za/spp_summary.ph ... &section=3
Global Raptor Information Network
Oiseaux net: http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-cape-vulture.html

[Toko]

125. White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis (Witkopaasvoël)
Order: Accipitriformes. Family: Accipitridae

Description
Distinguished by large size: Length: 85 cm. Wingspan: 230 cm. Weight: 3.3–5.3 kg.
With its bare, pink face and bright orange-red bill with a peacock blue base, this is one of Africa’s most colourful vultures. The White-headed Vulture gets its name from the downy, white feathers on its head which give it an angular appearance. It has white down on crown and nape, forming a slight crest. It has bare pink skin around the eyes, and in cheeks and fore neck. Hooked bill is orange with black tip. Cere is sky blue as base of the bill. Eyes are small and dull orange. Bare legs and talons are pinkish orange. It has dark brown plumage on neck ruff and breast band. Large wings are brown with white edges in median upperwing coverts. We can see a white line along the ends of greater underwing coverts. Flight feathers and tail are black. It has white throat. Lower breast, belly and thighs are white.
Sexes are similar in size. Female has white inner secondaries, visible both at rest and in flight, forming a white rectangular patch on the inner wing. Male has dark secondaries.
Juvenile is dark brown with white head and brownish top of head, and white mottling on mantle. It has dark underparts. It needs about six years to reach its adult plumage. In female, rectangular white patches appear when it is two years old.

Distribution
Occurs in isolated patches around the Red Sea and across sub-Saharan Africa. In southern Africa it is uncommon in north-west-Zimbabwe, Botswana, northern Namibia, Mozambique and eastern South Africa. South African breeding populations number about 80-120 pairs. Its core areas are the Kruger NP, the regions surrounding the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe, and large parts of Botswana. In Namibia it is found primarily within Etosha NP and throughout the Caprivi Strip.

Habitat
Semi-arid woodland, such as Mopane (Colosphermum mopane), miombo (Brachystegia) and mixed woodland.

Diet
Like other vultures, the white-headed vulture has a number of adaptations for feeding on the carcasses of large animals, but is also capable of killing small prey and stealing the food of other birds (kleptoparasitism). The strong bill is capable of tearing flesh and the sharp, curved talons can grasp and pierce prey. Their large, broad wings can carry them for hours as they search for food. When scavenging, it is often the first at the carcass, dominant over most other vultures excluding the larger Lappet-faced vulture, but generally staying away from the frenzy at the carcass, instead stealing from other scavengers and feeding on the food they drop.

Breeding
Monogamous, territorial solitary nester; the male collecting sticks and hands them to the female, who incorporates them into the large nest platform, which is lined with dry grass. It is typically placed on the top of a large tree, especially a Baobab (Adansonia digitata) or Acacia, such as Knob-thorn (A. nigrescens), Umbrella thorn (A. tortilis) or Monkey acacia (A. galpinii), but also in a Purple-pod cluster-leaf (Terminalia prunioides). Egg-laying season is from May-October, peaking from June-July. Female lays only one white egg, spotted with reddish-brown and lilac. Incubation lasts about 43 to 54 days, by both parents. The chick is brooded constantly by both adults for the first 50-60 of days of it's life, after which the adults only visit the nest to give the chick food; it eventually leaves the nest at about 115 days old.

Status
Uncommon resident, threatened. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Population trend declining.

[Toko]

125. White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis

© BluTuna
Adult female

© Bushcraft
Adult female. Kruger National Park S36

© ExFmem
Kruger National Park

© Flutterby
Juvenile

© BluTuna
Juvenile

© ExFmem
Adult female

© Dewi
Adult female

© PRWIN
Adult male, Kruger National Park

© leachy
Adult male, Kruger National Park

© PRWIN
Juvenile

Links:
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/spp_summary.ph ... &section=3
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/125.pdf
Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa
http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/Speci ... pecID=8344
David Allan. A Photographic Guide to Birds of Prey of Southern, Central and East Africa
http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-white ... lture.html

[nan]

124. Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus (Swartaasvoël)
ORDER ACCIPITRIFORMES. Family: Accipitridae

Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus.jpg (63.17 KiB) Viewed 1796 times

Description
78-115 cm. This large, long and square-winged vulture is black-looking. It has the strongest beak of any vulture. At close range, the bare red skin on the face and throat is diagnostic. In flight, the white thighs and the white bar running along the forepart of the underwing, from the body to the carpal joint, contrast with the otherwise black underside.
Juvenile and immature are dark brown all over, most closely resemble Hooded Vulture but are almost twice the size. Juvenile has conspicuous white streaks on the mantle.

Lappet-faced Vulture.jpg (67.42 KiB) Viewed 1772 times

Distribution
Occurs in Israel, the Arabian peninsula and patches of sub-Saharan Africa. In southern Africa it is uncommon in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, small areas of Mozambique and northern and eastern South Africa.

Habitat
Thornveld; mainly in drier regions. Nest on tree-tops, solitary or in small, scattered colonies. It generally prefers arid and semi-arid open woodland, especially with Acacia, Shepherds-tree (Boscia albitrunca), Purple-pod cluster-leaf (Terminalia prunioides) and Mopane (Colosphermum mopane).

Diet
It is mainly a scavenger, focusing on the skin, tendons and ligaments of carcasses that other birds struggle to handle. It is the largest and thus the dominant vulture of southern Africa, sometimes charging at other vultures.

Breeding
Monogamous, territorial solitary nester, probably with a lifelong pair bond. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a large platform of sticks lined with dry grass, hair and skin. It is typically placed at the top of a free standing tree. Egg-laying season is from February-October, peaking from May-June in Zimbabwe and from July-September. It usually lays a single egg, rarely two, which is incubated by both parents for about 55 days. The chick is brooded almost constantly by both adults for the first four weeks, after which brooding is more intermittent, ceasing completely after another four weeks or so. It is fed by both parents, leaving the nest at approximately 120-128 days old and becoming fully independent up to 170 days later.

Status
Common resident. Threatened. This species is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since only a small, declining population remains, owing primarily to poisoning and persecution, as well as ecosystem alterations.

[nan]

124. Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus (Swartaasvoël)

© nan
Kij Kij Waterhole, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park



© nan
Kij Kij Waterhole, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

© Pumbaa
Duke waterhole, S137, Kruger National Park

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

© PRWIN

© Dewi
Adult

© BluTuna
Two Lappet-faced Vultures have a nest that uses the entire top of this tree.

© PRWIN
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

© PRWIN
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Links:
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/124.pdf
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/spp_summary.ph ... &section=3
Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa
http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/Speci ... pecID=8343
http://books.google.de/books?id=DSeiW1C ... ol&f=false
David Allan. A Photographic Guide to Birds of Prey of Southern, Central and East Africa
http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-lappe ... lture.html