Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

It is the largest Old World vulture and one of the heaviest birds of prey on the planet, with a breeding cycle of almost a year and a half — the longest of any European raptor.

Weight

6.3 kg – 14 kg

Size

98 cm – 1.2 m

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

Estimated population

2,548 pairs spread across 43 colonies plus 6 isolated pairs according to the 2017 national survey; applying the correction factor for incomplete coverage, the true population would be between 2,548 and 3,140 pairs. Extremadura holds 964 pairs (37.9%) and the largest colonies are Sierra de San Pedro (333) and Monfragüe (327)

MountainCarnivore Diurnal Solitary Near Threatened Bird Mountain

28countries 6parks43same family

Fun facts

That cycle runs from the laying of the egg until the chick can feed itself.
It feeds on the carcasses of medium-sized and large mammals.
It lives in mountainous and wooded country across temperate Eurasia, from the Iberian Peninsula to Mongolia.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Mountainous and wooded country of temperate Eurasia, from the Iberian Peninsula to Mongolia and eastern Asia
Birth weight: Born altricial and covered in down
Size at birth: Born altricial
Sexual maturity: 3-6 years
Gestation / incubation: 50-68 days (typically ~54-57 days)
Litter / clutch size: 1 egg per clutch (rarely 2)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 40 years

Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; Wikipedia (Cinereous vulture); Vulture Conservation Foundation; Animal Diversity Web; Birds of the World; PMC (GPS accelerometer breeding study); Raptor TAG; The Birds Net; Critter Science; Karits.eu; SEO/BirdLife: recuperación sostenida desde las 206 parejas censadas a principios de los años setenta hasta las 2.548 de 2017; España alberga el 87 % de la población europea || Del Moral (Ed.) 2017, El buitre negro en España, SEO/BirdLife || SEO/BirdLife, III Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción en España, ficha del buitre negro

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: All year round, as it is resident; activity at the breeding colonies peaks between February and July, and in winter it may turn up away from its breeding areas