Black vulture, Monk vulture, Eurasian black vulture
The Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) is a large raptor found in Eurasia. In addition to speed and strength, this predator has keen eyesight for detecting prey from a distance or during flight, strong feet with sharp talons for grasping or killing prey, and powerful, curved beaks for tearing off flesh.
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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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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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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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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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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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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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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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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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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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starts withThe Cinereous vulture is the largest Old World vulture. It measures 98–120 cm (3 ft 3 in – 3 ft 11 in) in total length with a 2.5–3.1 m (8 ft 2 in – 10 ft 2 in) wingspan. Males can weigh from 6.3 to 11.5 kg (14 to 25 lb), whereas females can weigh from 7.5 to 14 kg (17 to 31 lb). It is thus one of the world's heaviest flying birds. Unlike most accipitrids, males can broadly overlap in size with the females, although not uncommonly the females may be slightly heavier. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 73–89 cm (29–35 in), the tail is 33–41 cm (13–16 in) and the tarsus is 12–14.6 cm (4.7–5.7 in).
The Cinereous vulture is distinctly dark, with the whole body being brown except the pale head in adults, which is covered in fine blackish down. This down is absent in the closely related lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos ). The skin of the head and neck is bluish-gray and a paler whitish color above the eye. The adult has brown eyes, a purplish cere, a blue-gray bill, and pale blue-gray legs. The primary quills are often actually black. From a distance, flying birds can easily appear all black. The immature plumage is sepia-brown above, with a much paler underside than in adults. Immature cinereous vultures have grey down on the head, a pale mauve cere and grey legs. The massive bill is one of the largest of any living accipiterid, a feature enhanced by the relatively small skull of the species. The wings, with serrated leading edges, are held straight or slightly arched in flight and are broad, sometimes referred to as "barn door wings". Their flight is slow and buoyant, with deep, heavy flaps when necessary. The combination of huge size and dark coloration renders the cinereous vulture relatively distinct, especially against smaller raptors such as eagles or buzzards.
Cinereous vultures range from Spain and inland to Portugal, with a reintroduced population in southern France. They are found discontinuously in Greece, Turkey, and throughout the central Middle East. Their range continues through Afghanistan eastwards to northern India to its eastern limits in central Asia, where they breed in northern Manchuria, Mongolia, and Korea. These birds are generally permanent residents except for the populations from the northernmost reaches that may migrate down to southern Korea and China. They may also migrate to the Middle East but it is not common. Cinereous vultures inhabit hilly, mountainous areas, especially favoring dry semi-open habitats such as meadows at high altitudes over much of the range. Nesting usually occurs near the tree line in the mountains. They forage over the steppe, other grasslands, open woodlands, along riparian habitats, or any kind of gradient of mountainous habitat.
Cinereous vultures are largely solitary birds, being found alone or in pairs much more frequently than most other Old World vultures. At large carcasses or feeding sites, small groups may congregate. Such groups can rarely include up to 12 to 20 individuals, with some older reports of up to 30 or 40. Cinereous vultures spend their days soaring high above in search of carcasses. Their wings, with serrated leading edges, are held straight or slightly arched in flight and are broad, sometimes referred to as "barn door wings". Their flight is slow and buoyant, with deep, heavy flaps when necessary. Cinereous vultures are generally very silent but when at their nest site these birds will make a few querulous mewing, roaring, or guttural cries solely for communication between each other and with their offspring.
Cinereous vultures are scavengers and eat mostly carrion. They feed on carrion of almost any type, from the largest mammals available to fish and reptiles.
Cinereous vultures are monogamous and form pair bonds that remain together for life. Their breeding season varies with location and lasts from February until September or October. They breed in loose colonies but nests are rarely found in the same tree or rock formation. In Spain, nests have been found from 300 m (980 ft) to 2 km (6,600 ft) apart from each other. The birds use sticks and twigs as building materials, and males and females cooperate in all matters of rearing the young. Their nests are huge being 1.45-2 m (4.8-6.6 ft) across and 1-3 m (3.3-9.8 ft) deep. The nest increases in size as a pair uses it repeatedly over the years and often comes to be decorated with dung and animal skins. The female typically lays only a single egg, though two may be exceptionally laid. The incubation period can range from 50 to 62 days. The newly hatched chick is semi-altricial; it is covered in greyish-white to grey-brown colored down which becomes paler with age. The first flight feathers start growing from the same sockets as the down when the nestling is around 30 days old and completely cover the down by 60 days of age. The parents feed their young by regurgitation. The nestling fledges when it's 104-120 days old, though dependence on parents can continue for another two months.
The Cinereous vulture has declined over most of its range in the last 200 years in part due to poisoning by eating poisoned bait put out to kill dogs and other predators, and to higher hygiene standards reducing the amount of available carrion. Vultures may be shot on sight by locals. Trapping and hunting of Cinereous vultures are particularly prevalent in China and Russia, although the poaching for trophy hunting is also known for Armenia, and probably other countries in the Caucasus. Perhaps an even greater threat to this desolation-loving species is the development and habitat destruction. Nests, often fairly low in the main fork of a tree, are relatively easy to access and thus have been historically compromised by egg and firewood collectors regularly.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Cinereous vulture is 8,400-11,400 pairs, equating to 16,800-22,800 mature individuals, or around 25,200-34,200 individuals. This consists of 2,900-3,400 pairs in Europe and 5,500-8,000 pairs in Asia. The population in Korea consists of around 50-10,000 wintering individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
