Egyptian Vulture
Neophron percnopterus
Number Of Mature
Individuals (Regional)
0
Regional
Population Trend
Decreasing
2025
Regional Category
Regionally Extinct
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CONTENTSOverview
Names
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IOC English Name: |
Egyptian Vulture |
|
SA & IOC Scientific Name: |
Neophron percnopterus |
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BirdLife International Taxonomy (scientific name): |
Neophron percnopterus |
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Order: |
ACCIPITRIFORMES |
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Family: |
Accipitridae |
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Species name author: |
Linnaeus 1758 |
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Afrikaans: |
Egiptiese Aasvoël |
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Sesotho (South Africa): |
Lehonyane |
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Sesotho (Lesotho): |
|
|
Siswati: |
|
|
isiZulu: |
uPhalane |
Current Assessment Status
|
2025 Regional Category [Criteria] |
RE* |
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2024 Global Category [Criteria] |
EN [A2abcde+3bcde+4abcde] (BirdLife International 2021) |
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Population size (Regional) |
0 |
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Population size (Global) |
12 400 – 36 000 |
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Distribution size (EOO) (Regional) km2 |
N/A |
|
Distribution size (EOO) (Global) km2 |
50 100 000 |
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Distribution size (AOO) (Regional) km2 |
N/A |
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Generation time |
13.4 years (BirdLife International 2021) |
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Status change reason |
No Change |
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Migrant (in the region) |
Vagrant |
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Regional endemic |
No |
* Regionally Extinct
Historic Listing Information
|
2000 Regional Status |
RE |
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2015 Regional Status |
RE |
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Status change reason (if applicable) |
No Change |
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2015 Population size (Regional) |
0 |
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2015 Global Status |
EN [A2bcde+3bcde] |
Reason for Inclusion
Reason for Inclusion in the Assessment
The species was previously assessed as Regionally Extinct in the 2000 assessment (Anderson 2000) and 2015 assessment (Taylor et al. 2015) and is assessed globally as Endangered and therefore included in the assessment.
Category Justification
Category Justification
The regional population is assessed as Regional Extinct because there is no evidence of breeding within the region and since 2015 (last regional assessment) there are only records of five individual birds sighted in the northern areas of the region.
Population Justification
Globally, the Egyptian Vulture population is estimated at 12 400 – 36 000 mature individuals. Africa comprises roughly half of the species’ global range, and it holds a resident population of 1000 – 2000 breeding pairs, while also supporting large numbers of non-breeding individuals and wintering migrants from Eurasia (Arkumarev et al. 2019). Historically, the size of the population in Southern Africa is unknown; however, travellers’ diaries suggest that the species was once relatively common in parts of the region, particularly in the Eastern Cape Province (Steyn 1982). Currently sightings of Egyptian Vultures within the region are rare, it is currently best described as vagrant. Following 2015 only five individuals have been recorded (Hardaker pers comms):
- an adult bird seen in Feb 2016 in the Kruger National Park;
- an immature bird seen 6 times between May 2017 and Sept 2018 (presumed to be the same bird) in the Kruger National Park;
- an immature bird seen April 2020 at a game farm in the Mpumalanga Province;
- an adult bird seen in Oct 2020 in the Kruger National Park;
- an immature bird in the Kgalagadi National Park in Aug 2021 and Kuruman River Reserve, Northern Cape Province in Aug 2021 (presumed to be the same bird).
Trend Justification
The limited number of records over the last decade does not allow for any trend analysis. Globally in decline (BirdLife International 2021).
Biology & Ecology
Taxonomy
Three subspecies are currently recognised, but further work is required (Orta e al. 2020, Gill et al. 2025).
- N. p. percnopterus – southern Europe, Middle East and Africa;
- N. p. ginginianus – Nepal to India;
- N. p. majorensis – eastern Canary Islands.
Identification
64–70 cm, c. 2 kg. Sexes are alike in plumage, but males may be slightly smaller than females (Orta et al. 2024) and may have a black smudge in front of eye (Piper 2005). Adult birds are predominantly white with black flight feathers (Orta et al. 2024). The long wedge-shaped tail is diagnostic of the species. The nape and neck have long lanceolate white feathers. The skin of the face and throat is a bright canary yellow and wrinkled. Legs and feet are also yellow while the eyes are red (Piper 2005). Juveniles are various shades of brown depending on age, with brown eyes and bill. The legs and bare facial skin are greyish in colour. The species is often confused with the Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis, and the Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus. The latter has broader wings and a rounded tail. The Palm-nut Vulture has mostly white primaries and a short square tail (Piper 2005).
Distribution
The Egyptian Vulture occurs from the Cape Verde and Canary Islands through to southern Europe and from Turkey east to southern Kazakhstan and down to southern India. The species also occurs scattered across Iraq, Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. In Africa it is distributed from Morocco to northern Egypt then southwards to Southern Africa where it occurs very irregularly (Piper 2005). Historically the species occurred across much of the region with breeding recorded at several localities (Steyn 1982). The species was last recorded breeding in the region in 1923 (Arkumarev et al. 2019).
Ecology
Habitat:
The Egyptian Vulture prefers dry open habitats including plains and semi-desert areas. They may occasionally be found on the seashore (Piper 2005). As they are a cliff-nesting species, breeding/resident birds are often found near rocky outcrops and mountains (Steyn 1982).
Migration:
The species is migratory, a unique trait among African vultures. Birds migrate from their breeding grounds in southern Europe and further east to North and northeastern Africa (Mundy et al. 1992). Those birds occurring on the Islands and the Indian continent are, however, mainly sedentary. Little is known about the movement patterns within Southern Africa (Piper 2005).
Breeding:
The Egyptian Vulture is normally monogamous, nest on cliffs, using caves or ledges with overhangs. They occasionally nest in trees sometimes using old nests of another raptor. (Orta et al. 2020). Historical data indicate that in the region they bred between August to November or December (Brooke 1982). Two eggs are laid in a stick nest with a deep central cup and are incubated for 39–45 days (Europe) by both adults. The nestling/fledgling period is between 71–85 days, with the young cared for by both sexes (Tarboton 2001).
Diet:
The species is primarily a scavenger, opportunistically taking food scrap at feeding groups around carcasses. Birds may scavenge around human settlements feeding on refuse or human excrement. They also feed on large eggs. Individual birds have learnt to crack Common Ostrich Struthio camelus eggs by hurling stones at them. In east Africa Egyptian Vultures feed on flamingos and pelican eggs (Steyn 1982, Piper 2005).
Threats & Conservation
Threats
It remains unclear why the Egyptian Vulture became regionally extinct in Southern Africa, but several factors have been proposed. These include reduced food availability resulting from declines in indigenous wildlife populations, the Rinderpest outbreak in the 1800s (which drastically reduced domestic cattle), improved sanitation practices around human settlements (thereby reducing scavenging opportunities), and competition from introduced scavengers. Globally, the most significant threats to the Egyptian Vulture include deliberate or accidental poisoning (Hernández and Margalida 2009), electrocution on unsafe power infrastructure (Magin 2011), direct persecution, declining small prey populations, and the general reduction of carrion sources, linked in part to modernized waste disposal and changes in livestock management (Orta et al. 2020). These pressures, both within and beyond Africa, contribute to the continued decline of the species across its range.
Conservation Measures Underway
Currently, there are no targeted conservation measures for Egyptian Vultures in Southern Africa, reflecting their Regionally Extinct status. However, they may indirectly benefit from broader vulture conservation initiatives within the region, such as general anti-poisoning campaigns, power line retrofitting projects, and wildlife law enforcement efforts aimed at protecting other vulture species. Internationally, the Egyptian Vulture is included in the Multi-species Action Plan to Conserve African-Eurasian Vultures under the Convention on Migratory Species (Vulture MsAP), which provides a framework for potential future interventions or reintroductions if conditions become suitable.
Conservation Measures Proposed
Reintroduction of the species to the region remains a theoretical possibility; however, it cannot advance until the causes of its decline and regional extinction are sufficiently understood and mitigated. In particular, ongoing threats such as poisoning, power-line electrocutions, and reduced food availability must first be addressed. The scarcity of Egyptian Vultures in Southern Africa, and the large distribution gap between the remaining populations in northern or eastern Africa, also pose significant biological and logistical challenges. Any future reintroduction plan would likely require feasibility studies to identify suitable release sites with minimal threats, adequate food supply, and community support. In addition, cooperative efforts with stakeholders and existing vulture conservation initiatives (e.g., power-line insulation, anti-poison programs) to create safer environments for reintroduced birds would be required, as well as long-term monitoring to track survival, breeding success, and potential dispersal of reintroduced individuals, ensuring that underlying threats remain controlled. A dedicated captive-breeding and release program, which would require considerable thought beyond the scope of this assessment, may be an option.
Research Priorities and Questions
Significant knowledge gaps persist regarding the precise causes of the species’ historical decline and the efficacy of various threat mitigation strategies (e.g., anti-poisoning protocols, power-line retrofitting) in Southern Africa. Little is known about habitat suitability and carrion availability in potential reintroduction sites, and the genetic considerations for sourcing birds (whether from the wild or captivity) require further exploration. Community attitudes toward vultures also remain poorly understood, which complicates outreach and co-management initiatives. Lastly, the feasibility of establishing and managing a captive-breeding program, along with the design and long-term funding of monitoring protocols, has yet to be comprehensively investigated.
Contributors & References
Assessor/s
Kevin Shaw
Reviewer/s
Alan Lee
References
Anderson MD. 2000. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus. In: Barnes KN (ed), The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa. pp 20.
Arkumarerv V, McGrady M, Angelov I. 2019. A literature review of occurrence of Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) resident in Africa. Vulture News 77: 1–54.
Brooke RK. 1982. Breeding season of Egyptian Vulture in South Africa. Vulture News 8: 30–31.
Gill F, Donsker D, Rasmussen P (eds). 2025. IOC World Bird List (v15.1).
Hernández M, Margalida A. 2009. Poison-related mortality effects in the endangered Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) population in Spain. European Journal of Wildlife Research 55(4): 415–423.
Magin C. 2011. Survey of vultures in Sudan. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 18(1): 5.
Mundy P, Butchart D, Ledger J, Piper S. 1992. The Vultures of Africa. London, UK: Academic Press Ltd.
Orta J, Kirwan GM, Christie DA, Garcia E, Marks JS. 2020. Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus). In: del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J, Christie DA, de Juana E (eds), Birds of the World version 1.0. Ithaca, NY, USA: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.egyvul1.01
Piper SE. 2005. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus. In: Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ, Ryan PG (eds), Roberts – Birds of Southern Africa, 7th Edn. Cape Town, South Africa: Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. pp 485–486.
Steyn P. 1982. Birds of Prey of Southern Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: David Philip.
Tarboton W. 2001. A Guide to the Nests & Eggs of Southern African Birds. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Publishers (Pty) Ltd.
Taylor MR, Peacock F, Wanless RW (eds). 2015. The Eskom Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa. pp 404.
Citation
Shaw K 2025. Egyptian Vulture. In: Lee ATK, Rose S, Banda S, Bezeng SB, Maphalala MI, Maphisa DH, Smit-Robinson H (eds), The 2025 Red Data Book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. Johannesburg, South Africa: BirdLife South Africa. Available at: https://www.birdlife.org.za/red-list/egyptian-vulture/
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