Egyptian Vulture
Neophron percnopterus
Also known as: Egyptian Eagle
Habitat
Ground
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
2.1 kg
About This Species
A small, pale vulture of open country, semi-desert and mountainous terrain across Africa, the Middle East and southern Europe, often seen soaring on thermals or scavenging at carcasses, rubbish sites and livestock carcasses alongside larger vulture species. Its white plumage with black flight feathers, bare yellow face and wedge-shaped tail are distinctive in flight. Migratory populations are most visible on passage at established raptor migration watchpoints in spring and autumn, while resident populations can be found near breeding cliffs year-round.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- As an Endangered species highly sensitive to disturbance at nest cliffs and vulnerable to poisoning at feeding sites, keep well back from any cliff nesting site, ideally observing only from established, distant viewpoints, and never approach a carcass where vultures are feeding.
- It receives strict legal protection under national and international law across most of its range, including the EU Birds Directive in Europe, though enforcement and specific provisions vary between the African, Middle Eastern and European countries it occupies.
- Report any suspected poisoning or persecution to local wildlife authorities rather than intervening directly.
Seasonal Activity
172,811 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 2.1 kg
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.