Eurasian griffon vulture

{{Short description|Species of bird}} {{For|Vultur gryphus|Andean condor}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Speciesbox | image = Gyps fulvus in flight - Spain.jpg | image_caption = Eurasian griffon vulture in Spain | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref =<ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |year=2021 |title=''Gyps fulvus'' |article-number=e.T22695219A157719127 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22695219A157719127.en}}</ref> | genus = Gyps | species = fulvus | authority = (Hablizl, 1783)<ref>{{cite book |last=Hablizl |first=C. |author-link=Carl Ludwig Hablitz |year=1783 |chapter=Bemerkungen in der persischen Landschaft Gilan und auf den Gilanischen Gebirgen |language=German |editor-last=Pallas |editor-first=P. S. |editor-link=Peter Simon Pallas |title=Neue nordische Beyträge zur physikalischen und geographischen Erd- und Völkerbeschreibung, Naturgeschichte und Oekonomie |volume=4 |place=St. Petersburg and Leipzig |publisher=Bey Johann Zacharias Logan |pages=1–104 [58–59] |url=https://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/id/PPN332461483_0004?tify={%22pages%22:[62],%22view%22:%22info%22} }}</ref> | subdivision_ranks = Subspecies | subdivision_ref = <ref>{{cite web |author1=Gill, F. |author2=Donsker, D. |author3=Rasmussen, P. |url= https://www.worldbirdnames.org/ioc-lists/crossref/|year=2020 |title=IOC World Bird List (v10.2) |doi=10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2}}</ref> | subdivision = * ''G. f. fulvus'' (Hablizl, 1783) * ''G. f. fulvescens'' Hume, 1869 | range_map = Gyps fulvus distribution map.png | range_map_caption = Range of griffon vulture | synonyms = ''Vultur fulvus'' }} The '''Eurasian griffon vulture''' ('''''Gyps fulvus''''') is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. It is also known as the '''Eurasian griffon''' or '''griffon vulture''',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/griffon-vulture-gyps-fulvus |title=Griffon vulture |access-date=20 September 2022 |work=Birdlife international}}</ref> although the latter term is sometimes used for the genus ''Gyps'' as a whole.

== Description == The griffon vulture is {{cvt|93|–|122|cm}} long with a {{cvt|2.3|–|2.8|m|ft}} wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh {{cvt|6.2|to|10.5|kg}} and females typically weigh {{cvt|6.5|to|10.5|kg}}, while in the Indian subspecies (''G. f. fulvescens''), the vultures average {{cvt|7.1|kg}}. Extreme adult weights have been reported from {{cvt|4.5|to|15|kg}}, the latter likely a weight attained in captivity.<ref name=Ali1996>{{cite book |last=Ali |first=S. |year=1996 |title=The Book of Indian Birds |edition=12th |publisher=Bombay Natural History Society |location=Bombay |isbn=978-0-19-563731-1}}</ref><ref name=Ferguson-Lees2001>{{cite book |last1=Ferguson-Lees |first1=J. |last2=Christie |first2=D. A. |year=2001 |title=Raptors of the World |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |isbn=978-0-618-12762-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hlIztc05HTQC&pg=PP1}}</ref> Hatched naked, it is a typical Old World vulture in appearance, with a white head, broad wings and short tail feathers. It has a white neck ruff and yellow bill. The buff body and wing coverts contrast with the dark flight feathers.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

==Distribution and habitat== thumb|Gyps fulvus (portrait) thumb|Eurasian griffon vulture in Catalonia The Eurasian griffon vulture is resident in parts of the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Atlas Mountains, the eastern Alps, parts of Anatolia and the Caucasus, parts of the Arabian Peninsula and the Iranian plateau, and in the Tian Shan and Altai Mountains.<ref name=iucn/>

In Portugal a few hundred pairs of griffons nest, but their distribution is strongly asymmetric. The main areas of reproduction are located in Douro International Natural Park, which is home to more than half of the Portuguese population. Though permanently resident in the interior of the country, the griffon vulture often ventures west when the breeding season is over and can occasionally reach the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve and Cape St. Vincent.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grifo (''Gyps fulvus'') |url=http://www.avesdeportugal.info/gypful.html |website=www.avesdeportugal.info |access-date=8 May 2021}}</ref>

In Ireland, the first record of a griffon vulture occurred in 1843 in Cork.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BirdFacts {{!}} Griffon Vulture |url=https://app.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob2510.htm |access-date=2020-06-29 |work=BTO |date=16 July 2010}}</ref> In 2000, a vulture took up residence on Guernsey island.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Unwin |first1=B. |title=Guernsey welcomes its latest resident: the griffon vulture |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/guernsey-welcomes-its-latest-resident-the-griffon-vulture-710465.html |website=Independent |date=26 August 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518095920/https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/guernsey-welcomes-its-latest-resident-the-griffon-vulture-710465.html |archive-date=2015-05-18}}</ref>

In Croatia, a Eurasian griffon vulture colony lives near the town of Beli on Cres island.<ref name=wildlifeextra/> There they breed at low elevations, with some nests at {{cvt|10|m}}. Therefore, contact with people is common. The population makes frequent incursions in the Slovenian territory, especially in the mountain Stol above Kobarid. The bird is protected in an area called Kuntrep on the Croatian island of Krk.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://web.hamradio.hr/9aff/9AFF-055_Glavine_Malaluka/glavine_malaluka.htm |title=Croatian Flora Fauna clear list}}</ref>

[[File:Eurasian Griffon Vulture.jpg|thumb|Griffon vulture beside a white-rumped vulture (''Gyps bengalensis''), showing the difference in size and coloration between the two species]] In Serbia, there are around 450-500 individuals with about 110 pairs of Eurasian griffon vultures around Zlatar mountain and also 35 birds in the canyon of the Trešnjica river.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Белоглави суп |url=https://uvac.org.rs/beloglavi-sup |access-date=2026-01-29 |website=uvac.org.rs |language=sr}}</ref> In Greece, there are nearly 1000 Eurasian griffon vultures. The majority of this population resides in Crete, which hosts the largest insular population of the species in the world.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Xirouchakis |first1=S. M. |last2=Mylonas |first2=M. |title=Status and structure of the griffon vulture (''Gyps fulvus'') population in Crete |journal=European Journal of Wildlife Research |date=December 2005 |volume=51 |issue=4 |pages=223–231 |doi=10.1007/s10344-005-0101-4|bibcode=2005EJWR...51..223X |s2cid=24900498}}</ref> On Crete they inhabit mountainous areas, sometimes in groups of up to 20.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Xirouchakis |first1=S. |title=Selection of Breeding Cliffs by Griffon Vultures ''Gyps fulvus'' in Crete (Greece) |journal=Acta Ornithologica |date=2005 |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=155–161 |doi=10.3161/068.040.0211 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In Cyprus, there was a colony of fewer than 30 Eurasian griffon vultures at Episkopi, in the south of the island in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title=At last, some good news for Cyprus vultures |url=https://birdlifecyprus.org/news-details/in-the-press/at-last-good-news-griffon-vultures |website=birdlifecyprus.org |publisher=BirdLife Cyprus |access-date=30 July 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Cinereous Vulture and Eurasian Griffon (50862528446).jpg|thumb|Griffon vulture beside a cinereous vulture]] In Germany, the species died out in the mid-18th century. Some 200 vagrant birds, probably from the Pyrenees, were sighted in 2006,<ref name=handelsblatt2006/> and several dozen of the vagrants sighted in Belgium the following year crossed into Germany.<ref name=n-tv2007-2/>

In Armenia there are 46-54 pairs according to last estimation of population; the trend demonstrates a slight increase.<ref name=ABCC>{{cite web |last1=Armenian Bird Census |title=The State of Griffon Vulture in Armenia |url=https://www.abcc-am.org/griffon-vulture.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203125211/https://www.abcc-am.org/griffon-vulture.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=3 February 2018 |work=Armenian Bird Census |access-date=3 February 2018}}</ref>

== Behaviour and ecology == right|thumb|Egg thumb|Two Griffion vultures fighting in Chitwan National Park, Nepal The Griffion vulture breeds on crags in mountains in southern Europe, north Africa, and Asia, laying one egg. Griffon vultures may form loose colonies. The population is mostly resident. Density Dependence in this colonial species has been shown to affect annual reproductive success with eyries in protected location (caves, potholes and sheltered ledges) producing more fledglings, and used preferentially, than low-quality eyries (exposed ledges and open crevices), which were only used when the number of breeding individuals increased.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Zuberogoitia, I. |author2=Martínez, J.E. |author3=González-Oreja, J.A. |author4=Pérez de Ana, J.M. |author5=Zabala, J. |year=2019 |title=Factors affecting population regulation of a colonial vulture |journal=Ibis |volume=161 |pages=878–889 |doi=10.1111/ibi.12687 |issue=4 |s2cid=92172949}}</ref>

The maximum recorded lifespan of the griffon vulture is 41.4 years for an individual in captivity.<ref name=Carey/>

=== Physiology === thumb|right|Griffon vulture in flight Griffon vultures have been used as model organisms for the study of soaring and thermoregulation. The energy costs of level flight tend to be high, prompting alternatives to flapping in larger birds. Vultures in particular utilize more efficient flying methods such as soaring. Compared to other birds, which elevate their metabolic rate to upwards of 16 times their basal metabolic rate in flight,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gavrilov |first=V. M. |s2cid=20637646 |date=2011 |title=Energy expenditures for flight, aerodynamic quality, and colonization of forest habitats by birds |journal=Biology Bulletin |volume=38 |issue=8 |pages=779–788 |doi=10.1134/S1062359011080024 |bibcode=2011BioBu..38..779G}}</ref> soaring griffon vultures expend about 1.43 times their basal metabolic rate in flight. Griffon vultures are also efficient flyers in their ability to return to a resting heart rate after flight within ten minutes.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Duriez |first1=O. |last2=Kato |first2=A. |last3=Tromp |first3=C. |last4=Dell'Omo |first4=G. |last5=Vyssotski |first5=A. L. |last6=Sarrazin |first6=F. |last7=Ropert-Coudert |first7=Y. |date=2014 |title=How cheap is soaring flight in raptors? A preliminary investigation in freely-flying vultures |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=9 |issue=1 |article-number=e84887 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0084887 |pmc=3893159 |pmid=24454760 |bibcode=2014PLoSO...984887D |doi-access=free}}</ref>

As large scavengers, griffon vultures have not been observed to seek shelter for thermoregulation. Vultures use their bald heads as a means to thermoregulate in both extreme cold and hot temperatures. Changes in posture can increase bare skin exposure from 7% to 32%. This change allows for the more than doubling of convective heat loss in still air.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ward |first1=Jennifer |last2=McCafferty |first2=D. J. |last3=Houston |first3=D. C. |last4=Ruxton |first4=G. D. |date=2008 |title=Why do vultures have bald heads? The role of postural adjustment and bare skin areas in thermoregulation |journal=Journal of Thermal Biology |volume=33 |issue=3 |pages=168–173 |doi=10.1016/j.jtherbio.2008.01.002 |bibcode=2008JTBio..33..168W}}</ref> Griffon vultures have also been found to tolerate increased body temperatures as a response to high ambient temperatures. By allowing their internal body temperature to change independently of their metabolic rate, griffon vultures minimize their loss of water and energy in thermoregulating.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Prinzinger |first1=R. |last2=Nagel |first2=B. |last3=Bahat |first3=O. |last4=Bögel |first4=R. |last5=K. |first5=E. |last6=Weihs |first6=D. |last7=Walzer |first7=C. |date=2002 |title=Energy metabolism and body temperature in the Griffon Vulture (''Gyps fulvus'') with comparative data on the Hooded Vulture (''Necrosyrtes monachus'') and the White-backed Vulture (''Gyps africanus'') |journal=Journal für Ornithologie |volume=143 |issue=4 |pages=456–467 |doi=10.1046/j.1439-0361.2002.02039.x |bibcode=2002JOrn..143..456P}}</ref> These adaptations have allowed the Griffon vulture to have one of the widest thermal neutral zones of any bird.<ref>{{cite thesis |author=Bahat, O. |year=1995 |title=Physiological adaptations and foraging ecology of an obligatory carrion eater - the griffon vulture (''Gyps fulvus'') |type=PhD thesis |place=Tel Aviv |publisher=Tel-Aviv University}}</ref>

===Intraspecific competition=== Griffon vultures have shown no age difference in their feeding rates. Feeding rates do tend to increase when more food is available. Studies connected with reintroduction of the vultures have found that older adults are more inclined to display aggressive behaviour and signs of dominance. The sexes have shown no difference in competitive behaviours. Reintroduced and wild-bred birds did not differ in dominance or feeding rate despite their differences in upbringing.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bose |first1=M. |last2=Sarrazin |first2=F. |title=Competitive behaviour and feeding rate in a reintroduced population of Griffon Vultures ''Gyps fulvus'' |journal=British Ornithologists' Union |date=2007 |volume=149 |issue=3 |pages=490–501 |doi=10.1111/j.1474-919X.2007.00674.x}}</ref>

== Threats == The main cause of the rapid decline in the griffon vulture population is the consumption of poisoned baits set out by people. Wildlife conservation efforts have attempted to increase awareness of the lethal consequences of using illegally poisoned baits through education about the issue.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Demerdzhiev, D. |name-list-style=amp |author2=Hristov, H. |author3=Dobrev, D. |author4=Angelov, I. |author5=Kurtev, M. |year=2014 |title=Long-term population status, breeding parameters and limiting factors of the griffon vulture (''Gyps fulvus'' Hablizl, 1783) population in the Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria |journal=Acta Zoologica Bulgarica |volume=66 |issue=3 |pages=373–384 |url=http://www.acta-zoologica-bulgarica.eu/downloads/acta-zoologica-bulgarica/2014/66-3-373-384.pdf}}</ref>

The Pyrenees population has apparently been affected by a European Commission ruling that due to danger of bovine spongiform encephalopathy transmission, no carcasses must be left on the fields for the time being. This has critically lowered food availability, and consequently, carrying capacity. Although the griffon vulture does not normally attack larger living prey, there are reports of Spanish griffon vultures killing weak, young or unhealthy living animals when they do not find enough carrion.<ref name=newscientist2007>{{cite web |first=D. |last=MacKenzie |website=New Scientist |date=2007 |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11970-starving-vultures-switch-to-live |title=Starving vultures switch to live prey |access-date=20 June 2007}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=Carey>{{cite web |last1=Carey |first1=James R. |first2=Debra S. |last2=Judge |title=Longevity Records: Life Spans of Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish |url=http://www.demogr.mpg.de/longevityrecords/0303.htm |work=Monographs on Population Aging, 8 |publisher=Odense University Press |access-date=13 September 2011}}</ref>

<ref name=handelsblatt2006>{{cite web |publisher=Handelsblatt |date=30 June 2006 |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/forschung-innovation/umwelt-grosser-geier-einflug-ueber-deutschland/2674136.html |title=Großer Geier-Einflug über Deutschland |trans-title=Large vulture flight over Germany |language=de |access-date=20 June 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=n-tv2007-2>{{cite web |website=n-tv |date=22 June 2006 |url=http://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Gaensegeier-in-Deutschland-article344923.html |title=Gänsegeier in Deutschland |trans-title=Griffon vultures in Germany |language=de |access-date=25 June 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=wildlifeextra>{{cite web |first=Powell |last=Ettinger |year=2008 |website=Wildlife Extra |url=http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/world/cres-vultures.html#cr |title=Griffon vultures on Cres Island - Croatia}}</ref> }}

==External links== {{Commons category|Gyps fulvus}} {{Wikispecies|Gyps fulvus}} * [http://www.vulture-territory.com/eurasian.html Vulture Territory Facts and Characteristics: Eurasian Griffon] * [http://www.uvac.org.rs/ Uvac Special Nature Reserve, Serbia] (in Serbian) * [http://aulaenred.ibercaja.es/wp-content/uploads/109_GriffonVultureGfulvus.pdf Ageing and sexing (PDF; 5.6 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314192120/http://aulaenred.ibercaja.es/wp-content/uploads/109_GriffonVultureGfulvus.pdf |date=14 March 2016 }} * [https://www.flickr.com/search/groups/?w=42637302@N00&q=griffon+eurasian&m=pool Flicker Handguide] * [http://www.supovi.hr/?lang=en Grifon Birds of Prey Conservation Centre in Crnika, Croatia] * [http://www.masdebunyol.com/index.php?idioma=en Mas de Bunyol Vulture observatory in Spain] * [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/05/yatsey-vulture-killed-lions-front-shocked-spectators-colchester/ Yatsey the Griffon vulture] * {{BirdLife|22695219|Gyps fulvus}} * {{Avibase|name=Gyps fulvus}} * {{InternetBirdCollection|eurasian-griffon-gyps-fulvus|Eurasian Griffon}} * {{VIREO|Griffon+Vulture}} * {{Xeno-canto species|Gyps|fulvus|Griffon vulture}} * [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47974725 A Bulgarian vulture's odyssey into Yemeni war zone]

{{Vulture}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q177856}} {{Authority control}}

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