>>Genus Necrosyrtes (Hooded Vulture)

Hooded Vulture

Hooded Vulture
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Necrosyrtes Gloger, 1841
Species:	N. monachus
Binomial name
Necrosyrtes monachus (Temminck, 1823)

Necrosyrtes monachus

The Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) is an Old World vulture in the order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genusNecrosyrtes.

It breeds in a stick nest in trees (often palms) in much of Africa south of the Sahara, laying one egg. Birds may form loose colonies. The population is mostly resident. This is of the smaller vultures of the Old World. They are 62–72 cm (25–28 in) long, have a wingspan of 155–165 cm (61–65 in) and a body weight of 1.5-2.6 kg (3.3-5.7 lbs).

Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals and waste which it finds by soaring over savannah and around human habitation, including waste tips and abattoirs. It often moves in flocks, and is very abundant. In much of its range, there are always several visible soaring in the sky at almost any time during the day.

This vulture is typically unafraid of humans, and frequently gathers around habitation. It is sometimes referred to as the “garbage collector” by locals.

The Hooded Vulture is a typical vulture, with a bald pink head and a greyish “hood”. It has fairly uniform dark brown body plumage. It has broad wings for soaring and short tail feathers. It is a small species compared to most vultures.

If these birds are disturbed when at their nest, they utter a squealing cry of "MAMA MAMA".Formerly classified as Least Concern by the IUCN′ it was found to have been rarer than previously believed and thus its status was uplisted to Endangered on the 2011 Red List of Threatened species.

>Gyps coprotheres (Cape Vulture)

Cape Vulture

Cape Vulture
At St Augustine Alligator Farm, St. Augustine, USA
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Falconiformes (or Accipitriformes, q.v.)
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Gyps
Species:	G. coprotheres
Binomial name
Gyps coprotheres (Forster, 1798)
Synonyms
Gyps kolbi

The Cape Griffon or Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres), also known as Kolbe's Vulture, is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles,kites, buzzards and hawks. It is endemic to southern Africa, and is found mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and in some parts of northern Namibia. It nests on cliffs and lays one egg per year.

Back

Gyps coprotheres

This vulture is dark brown except for the pale wing coverts. The adult is paler than the juvenile, and its underwing coverts can appear almost white at a distance. The average length is about 96–115 cm (38–45 in) with a wingspan of 2.26–2.6 m (7.4–8.5 ft) and a body weight of 7–11 kg (15–24 lb). They are on average the largest raptor in Africa, although they are subservient to the powerful Lappet-faced Vulture. The two prominent bare skin patches at the base of the neck, also found in the White-backed Vulture, are thought to be temperature sensors and used for detecting the presence of thermals.

The species is listed by the IUCN as "Vulnerable", the major problems it faces being poisoning, disturbance at breeding colonies and powerline electrocution. The current population is estimated at 8,000.

[edit]References

>Gyps africanus (White-backed Vulture)

White-backed Vulture

White-backed Vulture
Mature White-backed Vulture
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Gyps
Species:	G. africanus
Binomial name
Gyps africanus (Salvadori, 1865)

Fifteen in tree in Serengeti Park,Tanzania

The White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is closely related to the European Griffon Vulture, G. fulvus. Sometimes it is called African White-backed Vulture to distinguish it from the Oriental White-backed Vulture—nowadays usually called Indian White-rumped Vulture--to which it was formerly believed to be closely related.

The White-backed Vulture is a typical vulture, with only down feathers on the head and neck, very broad wings and short tail feathers. It has a white neck ruff. The adult’s whitish back contrasts with the otherwise dark plumage. Juveniles are largely dark. This is a medium-sized vulture; its body mass is 4.2 to 7.2 kilograms (9.3–16 lb), it is 78 to 98 cm (31 to 39 in) long and has a 1.96 to 2.25 m (6 to 7 ft) wingspan.

White-backed Vulture, Gyps africanus

Gyps africanus

Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of animals which it finds by soaring over savannah. It also takes scraps from human habitations. It often moves in flocks. It breeds in trees on the savannah of west and east Africa, laying one egg. The population is mostly resident.

As it is rarer than previously believed, its conservation status was reassessed from Least Concern to Near Threatened in the 2007 IUCN Red List.

Gallery

White-backed Vulture in flight

>Gyps himalayensis (Himalayan Vulture)

Himalayan Vulture

Himalayan (Griffon) Vulture
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Falconiformes (or Accipitriformes, q.v.)
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Gyps
Species:	G. himalayensis
Binomial name
Gyps himalayensis Hume, 1869

Juvenile in flight

The Himalayan Vulture or Himalayan Griffon Vulture (Gyps himalayensis) is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites,buzzards and hawks. It is closely related to theEuropean Griffon Vulture, G. fulvus.

Adults are 103–150 cm (41–59 in) long, have a span of 260–310 cm (8.5–10.2 ft) across the wings and weigh 8–12 kg (18–26 lb).Among extant birds of prey only the Cinereous Vulture approaches similar dimensions. It breeds on crags in mountains in the Himalayas andTibet, laying a single egg. Birds may form loose colonies. The population is mostly resident.

Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of animals, which it finds by soaring over open areas and mountains. These birds often move in flocks.

The Himalayan Griffon Vulture is a typical vulture, with a bald white head, very broad wings, and short tail feathers. It is even larger than the European Griffon Vulture. It has a white neck ruff and yellow bill. The whitish body and wing coverts contrast with the dark flight feathers.

This vulture grunts and hisses at roosts or when feeding on carrion.