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6

Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus) Alternate name(s): "Nubian Vulture" Size: 95-115 cm; wing span 2.5-2.9 m Weight: 4.4-9.4 kg

Oman: Family Group 6 Family Group 6 Table Egyptian Vulture Lappet-faced Vulture Bonelli's Eagle Osprey Pallid Harrier Black Kite Peregrine Falcon Common Kestrel Thumbnails page Classification table Index of bird names Birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Lappet-faced Vultures are amongst the largest and heaviest vultures found in their range. Most of their plumage is dark grey-brown, with some lighter edge lining. Only the sides of the frontal neck and the thigh feathers are light-grey. Their most prominent feature is the bald head with pink skin fold around the back of the head and the throat. The feathers at the nape of the neck are spiky and characteristically stick out from the neck. The irises are brown. The massive, hooked bill is grey, with some horn-coloured parts on the sides of the upper mandible. The lower legs and feet are grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Lappet-faced Vulture at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat 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 . The global distribution of the Lappet-faced Vulture is available HERE . Lappet-faced Vultures, nominate race "tracheliotus", are found throughout Africa, at altitudes of up to 4500 m. Race "negevensis" occurs in the Negev Desert, the Sinai peninsula, north-western Saudi Arabia and some other parts of the interior of the Arabian peninsula. Lappet-faced Vultures, race "negevensis", are found in Oman occasionally. Since they prefer undisturbed surroundings, they are usually not found on the coastal fringe near human habitation. Lappet-faced Vultures have a preference for dry savannah or desert, often also dry riverbeds (wadis) with scattered trees.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "tracheliotus" Lappet-faced Vultures, race "tracheliotus" were spotted by S. Kirkby in eastern Africa. All sighting and photographic information presented on this page has kindly been contributed by S. Kirkby. Race "negevensis" We have not seen a Lappet-faced Vulture, race "negevensis", in Oman yet.

Photos

Race "tracheliotus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of two Lappet-faced Vultures on an acacia; the birds will also nest on such trees (photo courtesy of S. Kirkby)

Lateral view of a Lappet-faced Vulture sitting on an acacia (photo courtesy of S. Kirkby)

Dorsal view of a Lappet-faced Vulture (photo courtesy of S. Kirkby)

Behaviour

Lappet-faced Vultures are very assertive and will dominate other species of vulture. Their beaks are particularly strong, helping them to cut through the hide of a carcass. The pecking order while feeding on a carcass is well-determined: the hungriest Lappet-faced Vulture will be the most aggressive and thus will get in first (after the carnivore mammals, if any, are gone).

Food, Diet

All raptors are carnivores. Lappet-faced Vultures scavenge mostly for carcasses of mammals.

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.

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Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Sat, 23 March 2019, 13:41 +00:00