International Vulture Day

As every year, the first Saturday of September is marked by the celebration of International Vulture Day. From Ideas MedioAmbiental, we want to pay a small tribute to this group of birds and highlight the essential role they play in nature.

These scavenging species are responsible for feeding on the animals that perish in our fields, this being an essential task to prevent the spread of diseases, and, thus, become the best allies of our farmers.

Without a doubt, Spain is the place par excellence for this group of birds. “98% of the European population of black vultures, 94% of griffon vultures, 82% of vultures and 66% of the European bearded vulture population reproduce.” (SEO BirdLife, 2023)

Next, we will see one by one the four most common species that we can find in our territory.

Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus)

State of conservation

Global level: in the category of Least Concern by the IUCN.

National level: it does not appear in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species, and in the category of Least Concern in the Red Book of Birds of Spain.

The griffon vulture is the most widespread species throughout the Iberian Peninsula. In the last national census of 2018, an estimate of almost 31,000 breeding pairs was obtained.

It is a species that has year-round resident populations in the Peninsula, although there are also others that disperse towards Africa and Eastern Europe. It reaches a wingspan of between 2.30 and 2.65 meters, and a weight of between 6 and 12 kilos. The appearance of the griffon vulture is characterized by those areas of the head and neck completely devoid of feathers and the ruffle of the neck, as well as that representative coloration that gives it its name.

Both the beak —the already mentioned gorgeous—and the color of the iris are factors that can help us find out the age of the bird we are observing. Adult griffon vultures have a bone-white beak, a white wedge and a very yellowish iris (first photograph), while in young birds, the beak and iris are dark and the ruffle maintains a fawn color (second photograph).

Black vulture (Aegypius monachus)

State of conservation

Global level: in the category of Almost Threatened by the IUCN.

National level: Vulnerable in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species, and in the category of Almost Threatened in the Red Book of Birds of Spain.

The black vulture is the largest raptor in Europe, reaching a wingspan of between 2.65 and 2.90 meters, and a weight that ranges from 6 to 14 kg. Its distribution area is much smaller than that of the griffon vulture, since it is closely linked to Mediterranean pastures in Castile and León, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, Madrid and Andalusia. In the last national census (2017), the results speak of a breeding population of about 2500 pairs.

Broadly speaking, it is a resident species in our territory, but it can disperse towards northern Europe. With its particular dark plumage, this vulture has a bluish base of its beak, and has some dark feathers on its head and neck. The difference between adult and juvenile specimens is more subtle than in the griffon vulture, with plumage tonality and wear being diagnostic characters (very dark in juveniles and browner in adults).

In Spain, there are several black vulture conservation projects, most notably the Monachus Project carried out by the Group for the Rehabilitation of Native Fauna and its Habitat (GREFA). Monachus Project — GREFA

Bone breakers (Gypaetus barbatus)

State of conservation

Global level: in the category of Almost Threatened by the IUCN.

National level: Endangered in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species, and in the category of Vulnerable in the Red Book of Birds of Spain.

Of the four species, it is the one in the worst state of conservation, with the population of the Pyrenees being the most important and viable in all of Europe, with between 1200 and 2000 specimens.

They can be between 2.4 and 2.9 meters long. Among scavenger birds, it is a bird that is fully specialized in ingesting the bones left over from carrions, which it previously breaks by throwing them from a high altitude over rocky areas that are called breakers. Adult specimens are characterized by a cream-colored head and neck, that black “mask” on the face and a yellowish iris surrounded by a reddish color. These birds reach this plumage in their seventh or eighth year of life.

Juvenile and immature specimens are much more homogeneous, very dark (see the first photo). This plumage, as the years go by, will change until it reaches the adult plumage.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Bearded Vultures has been working with this species in the Pyrenees for more than 25 years. He has carried out many projects, including those related to reintroduction and monitoring in various territories such as the Cantabrian Mountains, the Iberian System, the Central System, the Betic Mountains, etc. Bearded Vulture Conservation Foundation

Common alligator (Neophron percnopterus)

State of conservation

Global level: in the category of Threatened by the IUCN.

National level: Vulnerable in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species, and in the category of Vulnerable and Endangered (Canary Islands) in the Red Book of Birds of Spain.

The last species we are going to treat is the common alligator. It is a summer bird, that is, it comes to the Iberian Peninsula in spring to reproduce throughout the summer, and it goes to its African wintering quarters in late summer and early October. However, there is a small percentage of the population that spends the winter in the province of Cáceres. The last national census (2018) tells us about the presence of around 1500 breeding pairs in the peninsular territory.

It is the smallest of the four, with a wingspan of between 1.45 and 1.75 meters. The adult specimens have a white body plumage that contrasts with the flight feathers, which are completely black. The young and immature ones, as with bearded vultures, are much darker, and will go through different plumages until they reach the adult pattern at five years of age.

Bibliography

Spanish Ornithological Society (SEObirdLife)

THE GRIFFON VULTURE IN SPAIN. Breeding population in 2018 and census method.

THE BLACK VULTURE IN SPAIN. Breeding population in 2017 and census method.

Monachus Project — GREFA

THE BEARDED VULTURE IN SPAIN. Breeding population in 2018 and census method.

Bearded Vulture Conservation Foundation

THE COMMON VULTURE IN SPAIN. Breeding population in 2018 and census method.