The cinereous vulture, or Aegypius monachus, is a large bird weighing 7 kg to 12.5 kg with a wingspan of 250 to 300 cm. Known as the monk vulture, the black vulture and the Eurasian black vulture, the cinereous vulture is found in parts of Europe such as Spain, Portugal, France and Greece. It is also found in Afghanistan, northern India, Mongolia and Korea.
This vulture prefers hilly, mountainous regions and unlike other vultures, is a largely solitary bird. It can fly at a very high altitude as its blood has a special component that helps it to process oxygen more efficiently at heights. It is a dark-brown bird except for the head, neck and legs which are bluish gray. Adults have brown eyes and a massive blue-gray bill. The typical sounds it makes are grunts, croaks and hisses during feeding time.
It feeds on carcasses of medium-sized and large mammals and occasionally takes live prey. It builds nests with sticks and twigs and usually lays only one egg. Both parents take part in caring for the chick.
This vulture’s global population is estimated to number 21,000 to 30,000 individual birds. Shooting, poisoning, use of veterinary Diclofenac, decrease in food availability and habitat loss are the main threats in the conservation of this species. The IUCN has listed it as ‘Near Threatened’.
Picture Credit : Google
