Griffon Vulture(Gyps fulvus)
The griffon vulture is 93–122 cm long with a 2.3–2.8 m wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh 6.2-10.5 kg and females typically weigh 6.5-10.5 kg, while in the Indian subspecies, the vultures average 7.1 kg.With an impressive size and up to a 3m wingspan, and is Europe’s second largest bird. It is an Old World vulture and a member of the bird of prey family.
It can be seen majestically soaring on thermal currents searching for food in the warmer, rugged parts of countries that surround the Mediterranean. It has a distinguishing creamy-white ruff, matching the color of its head and neck. Its body and upper-wings are pale brown, which contrasts beautifully with its other dark flight feathers and tail, the contrast being most noticeable in young birds, as their upper-wing feathers are particularly pale.
Habitat
This species has a very large range, across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, from India to Portugal and Spain, most commonly found in countries that border the Mediterranean. The biggest population is in Spain, being more than three-quarters of the European population. These birds live in areas of mountains, plateaus, shrubland, grassland, and semi-desert, usually in warm climates, but also in harsher conditions of cold, rain, mist and snow to secure particularly favourable breeding or foraging conditions.
They tend to avoid forests, lakes, wetlands, and marine waters. Requiring high cliffs for roosting, they are found in a range of elevations.
Diet
Griffon vultures are carnivores and scavengers, they typically feed on the soft tissue from the carcasses of medium to large mammals and sometimes injured or weak cattle or sheep. It grunts and hisses at roosts or when feeding on carrion.
Breeding
This species is monogamous, and pair bonds are often lifelong. Beautiful courtship flights take place around the nesting cliffs. Griffon vultures breed in colonies, generally containing 15 to 20 pairs, but sometimes up to 150 pairs. They build their nest on a cliff-face in a rock cavity or on a protected ledge, where a human would have difficulty reaching, using sticks 1-2 cm in diameter, finer twigs and grasses. Breeding usually begins early in the year, before the end of January. One egg is laid, and is incubated by both parents for 52-60 days. The chick is very weak when it hatches, with little down, weighing about 170 grams. Its feathers appear when it is about 60 days old, after which it very quickly becomes similar to the adults. After four months the young vulture is able to fly freely but is still not completely independent, the parents still feeding it by regurgitation.
Population
According to the IUCN Red List, they are classed as Least Concern(LC). The European population is estimated at 32,400-34,400 pairs, which equates to 64,800-68,800 mature individuals. Approximately 10% of the global range for this species falls within Europe, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 648,000-688,000 mature individuals. It is placed in the band 500,000-999,999 mature individuals. The population is increasing in its European range and re-introductions have taken place in France. The central Asian population is suspected to be stable. Populations in North Africa and Turkey are suspected to be in decline owing to persecution, shooting, poisoning and loss of suitable food owing to changing farming practices. However, the overall population trend is suspected to be increasing.
Threats
It declined markedly throughout the 19th–20th centuries in much of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, mainly due to direct persecution and bycatch from the poisoned carcasses set for livestock predators. In some areas a reduction in available food supplies, arising from changes in livestock management practices, also had an impact. It is very highly vulnerable to the effects of potential wind energy development and electrocution has been identified as a threat. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used for veterinary purposes pose a threat to this species. One case of suspected poisoning caused by flunixin, an NSAID, was recorded in this species in 2012 in Spain. Diclofenac, a similar NSAID, has caused severe declines in Gyps vulture species across Asia.
Conservation
Starting in 2016, the five-year LIFE RE-Vultures project was developed by Rewilding Europe, in collaboration with the Rewilding Rhodopes Foundation the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, WWF Greece, the Hellenic Ornithological Society and us here at the Vulture Conservation Foundation. The aim of the project is to support the recovery and further expansion of the populations of Cinereous and Griffon Vultures in the cross-border region of the Rhodope Mountain by improving natural prey availability, monitoring movements of birds to help understand the threats they face and carrying out activities that will reduce the mortality of the populations from threats such as illegal wildlife poisoning and collisions with electricity infrastructure. This year, a total of 72 Griffon Vultures successfully fledged in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains, where we are working through the LIFE Re-Vultures project. The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds coordinated the annual Griffon Vulture census in the Balkans within the LIFE Re-Vultures project this November. Teams from Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and North Macedonia counted a total of 564-571 Griffon Vultures. More specifically, they counted 336 in Bulgaria, 80-87 in Greece, 122 in Serbia and 26 in North Macedonia. This summer, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds and Elektrorazpredelenie Yug EAD continued the provision of bird-related electrical poles in the Eastern Rhodopes within the framework of the project. Here at the VCF, we monitor vultures using GPS tracking technology, which is a vital tool for conservationists. With GPS trackers, we can track the everyday position and movement of birds anywhere in the world. This data helps understand migration patterns, behaviour and foraging ranges, and helps identify threats. Essentially, trackers can help indicate a specific bird’s health and assist conservationists in carrying out widespread actions that mitigate the threats, safeguard flight paths and support the comeback of these species.