Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)

Measurements: 0.58-0.70m long; wingspan 1.5-1.7m.

Not a bird to discuss at mealtime, the Egyptian Vulture has what one might kindly call a “broad” diet. It has a much thinner bill than any other European vulture, and was originally adapted to feeding off the scraps left by other vultures at a carcass, using its sharp edges to trim that last little bit of meat from the bone. It still does this, but long ago the species discovered that human refuse tips were also a good source of meat scraps, and now it will eat a wide range of organic waste, including dead animals of all kinds, rotting fruit and vegetables, and even human excrement. It is not averse to finishing off sick or injured smaller animals when it comes across them, including birds, small mammals and fish, and at times it will also eat living things as small as insects.

By Wildmishra – Imported from 500px (archived version) by the Archive Team. (detail page), CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71237871

One might expect that such adaptability would be a recipe for success, but this species has suffered, as have many birds of prey, from long-term persecution, and the Egyptian Vulture is now rather scarce in Europe. It is also, in contrast to other vultures, only a summer visitor here, arriving in March and leaving any time from July. It thus has a much later start to its breeding season than other vultures, which are usually well underway by February.

By S. Rae from Scotland, UK – Neophron percnopterus, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50701817

The Egyptian Vulture nests solitarily, the pair selecting a site high up on a cliff or rocky outcrop. The birds prefer to use sheltered ledges or caves, as these have the double advantage of a commanding view and plenty of shade. Favoured sites are used year on year, and the stick nest inside can become both very large and highly decorated with rags, bones, fur, rubbish and all the other trappings of the Egyptian Vulture’s trade.

From ‘Birds: A Complete Guide to All British and European Species’, by Dominic Couzens. Published by Collins and reproduced with permission.