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Egyptian Vulture
(Neophron percnopterus)
: "White Scavenger Vulture", "Pharao's Chicken"
 German name(s): "Schmutzgeier"
Size: 47-52 cm (male) 52-55 cm (female); wing span 1.25-1.5 m
Weight: 1.6-2.4 kg
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Egyptian Vultures are small vultures.
Although usually off-white to ochre/brownish in appearance due to
soiled plumage,
Egyptian Vultures are in fact white, with black flight feathers.
The wing coverts are white. Only the upper side of the flight
feathers shows white streaks.
The neck feathers are spiny and form a hackle. The tail is
wedge-shaped.
Egyptian Vultures have a facial mask of yellow skin. The base of
the hooked bill is also yellow, with a black tip.
The irises are dark. The legs and feet are yellowish-brown.
Juvenile
Egyptian Vultures are mottled brown wherever adults are white.
The facial skin and the bill are also darker than those of
adults.
They take about 5 years to reach
adulthood.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Egyptian
Vulture at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Egyptian Vulture is available
HERE
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There are three races of Egyptian Vultures between which there
is considerable gradation. Birds in tropical regions are usually
sedentary, while those in more moderate climate zones will
migrate.
Nominate race
"percnopterus" spends the northern summers around parts of
the Mediterranean, from the Atlas Mountain range in northern
Africa, most of Spain, the Camargue and parts
of southern Italy via northern Greece into Turkey, the coastline
of Israel/Palestine and into southern Asia, to the South of the
Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, going as far East as Afghanistan
and as far North as Lake Baikal.
The birds from the Mediterranean and central Asia migrate South
in winter, to their wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa,
a small part of south-western Africa, the East coast of the
Red Sea in Saudi Arabia and all the way around the coastline
of the Arabian peninsula, via Yemen and Oman, to the northern
tip in the border region of Oman and the UAE.
In Pakistan and all of India race "ginginianus" is sedentary.
Race "majorensis" is found only on the eastern Canary Islands
off the coast of Mauretania, where it is also sedentary.
In Europe Egyptian Vultures, nominate race
"percnopterus",
occur as breeding migrants in the eastern 3/4 of Iberia, part
of the Cote d'Azure, a small area along the North coast of
Sicily and the southern tip of continental Italy and
roughly in the northern half of Greece.
When not looking for carrion in open country, Egyptian
Vultures are often found around rubbish tips.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "percnopterus"
J. Pires reports spotting Egyptian
Vultures, nominate race
"percnopterus",
above Rio Douro, Miranda do Douro, Braganca, Portugal, in
May 2018, and at Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, in October 2019.
Others were found near Mora, Evora, Portugal, in May 2022 and
at Cabranosa, Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, in October 2022.
Other photos shown below were taken by D. Wilczynska on the
southern slopes of the Caucasus in Georgia in June 2018.
Egyptian Vultures, nominate race
"percnopterus",
have previously been found by us in
Oman.
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Photos |
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Race "percnopterus"
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ADULT |
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Frontal view of an adult Egyptian Vulture
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]
Lateral view of an Egyptian Vulture
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]
Near-lateral/ventral view of an Egyptian Vulture in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Rio Douro, Miranda do Douro, Braganca, Portugal, May 2018]
Near-lateral/ventral view of an Egyptian Vulture in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Rio Douro, Miranda do Douro, Braganca, Portugal, May 2018]
Lateral view of an Egyptian Vulture in flight
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]
Ventral view of an Egyptian Vulture in flight
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]
More photos of Egyptian Vultures, nominate race "percnopterus",
have been obtained by us in Oman.
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Near-frontal/ventral view of a juvenile or second-year immature
Egyptian Vulture in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]
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Food, Diet |
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All raptors are carnivores. Egyptian Vultures scavenge mostly for offal.
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Call/s
