Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Gyps fulvus
Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Spain, December 2007, © Markus Jais
Names
English: Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Griffon VultureScientific: Gyps fulvus
German: Gänsegeier
Spanish: Buitre leonado
French: Vautour fauve
Taxonomy and Subspecies
Currently two subspecies recognized: G.f. fulvus and G.f. fulvescens. fulvescens may be a separate species [GRIN 2009].In Europe only G.f. fulvus occurs.
Size
Length: 95-105 cmWingspan: 240-280 cm
Weight: 6,000-11,000 g Huge bird. Females not bigger than males (in contrast to most other raptors).
Maximum Age
55 years in captivity. [Mebs & Schmidt 2006]Habitat
Needs cliffs for nesting and abundant food in form of carrion of large and medium-sized animals (livestock like cows or sheep and wild mammals like deer).The landscape should support the building of thermals [Mebs & Schmidt 2006] as the large vultures prefer the energy-saving gliding and soaring over active flight.
Distribution
In Europe occurs in most countries around the Mediterranean. In many countries, only occurs in low densities. More widespread in Spain. Outside of Europe Griffon Vultures occur in Asia (Turkey, Arabia and eastwards to India including in Iran, Kazakhstan, Georgia).Migration
Most adults are sedentary but young and immature birds often disperse over longer distances (incl. to Africa) [Mebs & Schmidt 2006].In recent years, more Griffon Vultures have been seen in central Europa (incl. Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany). This may be due to food shortage in Spain after the closing of traditional feeding sites. The recent increase in Griffon Vulture populations in France may also increase the likelihood of seeing Griffon Vultures in central Europa.
Breeding and Reproduction
First breeding with 4 or 5 years. Griffon Vultures normally breed in colonies in cliffs. In some places like the Monfragüe National Park in Spain, the Griffon Vulture also breeds in tree nests build by the Cinereous Vulture.Only 1 egg is laid. Incubation time is between 47 and 57 days and the young spends between 113 and 159 days in the nest [Mebs & Schmidt 2006]. Like most raptors, the young is dependent on it's parents for a few weeks after fledging.
Food and hunting
Feeds only on carrion of large and medium-sized animals. When one bird finds a dead animals, other vultures often see the bird going down and follow it. In areas with healthy populations, a dead animals can attract large numbers of vultures within a short time.Griffon Vultures also visit landfills in search of food.
Population
By far the largest population in Europe lives in Spain with about 25,000 pairs. In France the population increased dramatically from only 75 pairs in 1999 to 796 in 2007.For Greece [BirdLife 2004] reports 173-194 pairs . In Portugal there are more than 400 pairs [Mebs & Schmidt 2009]. In most other European countries there are only small populations, often below 100 pairs.
Threats
Illegal persecution, especially through poisoning is a serious threat in some areas, for example on the Balkan but also in Spain.Food shortage as a result of removing dead livestock (cows, sheeps, pigs) from the countryside can also threaten populations.
Conservation
Extensive farming that keeps livestock in the open (instead of keeping them in stables all the time) and leaves dead animals there for vultures is important, at least in some areas where there are not enough dead wild mammals like deer, boars or chamois.European laws that forced all farmers to remove dead animals that died on their farmland have now been changed so that it is again possible - under certain rules - to leave dead animals in the countryside for vultures and other raptors like eagles or kites.
Illegal shooting and poisoning must be stopped.
Reintroduction programs can be very successful. In France, there are successful reintroduction programs in the Alps and in the Massif Central and the Griffon Vulture is now established there again as a breeding species.
Status IUCN/BirdLife
Least Concern (LC)Status Global Raptor Information Network
Lower riskInterviews about the Eurasian Griffon Vulture
Interview with Emilian Stoynov about the Eurasian Griffon Vulture in Bulgaria Interview with Fulvio Genero about vultures in Italy Interview with Stavros Xirouchakis about Vultures on CreteReferences
[BirdLife International 2004] BirdLife International. 2004. Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status. BirdLife Interntional. Cambridge, UK.
(Griffon Vulture species account available at: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/BirdsInEuropeII/BiE2004Sp3378.pdf)
[GRIN 2009] Global Raptor Information Network. 2009. Species account: Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus. Downloaded from http://www.globalraptors.org on 5 Apr.
[Mebs & Schmidt 2006] Mebs, Theodor & Schmidt, Daniel (2006). Die Greifvögel Europas, Nordafrikas und Vorderasiens. Kosmos Verlag.
Books
Donázar, José Antonio & Margalida, Antoni & Campión (2009).
Buitres, muladares y legislación sanitaria: perspectivas de un conflicto y sus consecuencias desde la Biología de la Conservación.
Vultures, feeding stations and sanitary legislation: a conflict and its consequences from the perspective of conservation biology.
Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi. Forsman, Dick (1999). The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East A Handbook of Field Identification. Poyser Mebs, Theodor & Schmidt, Daniel (2006). Die Greifvögel Europas, Nordafrikas und Vorderasiens. Kosmos Verlag.
Buitres, muladares y legislación sanitaria: perspectivas de un conflicto y sus consecuencias desde la Biología de la Conservación.
Vultures, feeding stations and sanitary legislation: a conflict and its consequences from the perspective of conservation biology.
Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi. Forsman, Dick (1999). The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East A Handbook of Field Identification. Poyser Mebs, Theodor & Schmidt, Daniel (2006). Die Greifvögel Europas, Nordafrikas und Vorderasiens. Kosmos Verlag.