Eurasian griffon vulture
Eurasian griffon vulture | |
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Flying griffon vulture photographed in Spain | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Accipitriformes |
Family: | Accipitridae |
Genus: | Gyps |
Species: | G. fulvus
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Binomial name | |
Gyps fulvus | |
Subspecies[3] | |
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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 Griffon vulture,[4] although this term is sometimes used for the genus as a whole. It is not to be confused with the Rüppell's griffon vulture (Gyps rueppellii) and Himalayan griffon vulture (Gyps himalayensis). It is closely related to the white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus).
Description
The griffon vulture is 93–122 cm (37–48 in) long with a 2.3–2.8 m (7.5–9.2 ft) wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh 6.2 to 10.5 kg (14 to 23 lb) and females typically weigh 6.5 to 10.5 kg (14 to 23 lb), while in the Indian subspecies (G. f. fulvescens), the vultures average 7.1 kg (16 lb). Extreme adult weights have been reported from 4.5 to 15 kg (9.9 to 33.1 lb), the latter likely a weight attained in captivity.[5][6] 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.
Distribution and habitat
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2022) |
In Italy, the species has survived only in the island of
In
In Cyprus, there was a colony of fewer than 30 birds at Episkopi, in the south of the island in 2006.[11]
In
.In Greece, there are nearly 1000 birds. The majority of griffon vulture population in Greece resides in Crete, which hosts the largest insular population of the species in the world.[12] On Crete they can be found in most mountainous areas, sometimes in groups of up to 20.[13]
Griffon vultures have been
- In Belgium and the Netherlands, around 100 birds were present in the summer of 2007. These were vagrants from the Pyrenees population (see below).[14]
- In Germany, the species died out in the mid-18th century. Some 200 vagrant birds, probably from the Pyrenees, were sighted in 2006,[15] and several dozen of the vagrants sighted in Belgium the following year crossed into Germany in search for food.[16] There are plans to reintroduce the species in the Alps. In September 2008, pieces of a griffon vulture bone, about 35,000 years old, were excavated from Hohle Fels cave in southern Germany, which are believed to form a flute.[17][18]
In Serbia, there are around 60–65 pairs of griffon vultures in the western parts of the country, around Zlatar mountain and also 35 birds in the canyon of the Trešnjica river.[19] They are under legal protection from hunting.[20]
In Austria, there is a remnant population around Salzburg Zoo, and vagrants from the Balkans are often seen.
In
In Armenia there are 46-54 pairs according to last estimation of population; the trend demonstrates slight increasing.[24] In Russia, nests on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus.
Behaviour and ecology
Like other vultures, it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over open areas, often moving in flocks. It grunts and hisses at roosts or when feeding on carrion.
The maximum recorded lifespan of the griffon vulture is 41.4 years for an individual in captivity.[25]
It 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.[26]
Physiology
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,[27] 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.[28]
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.[29] 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.[30] One study in particular (Bahat 1995) found that these adaptations have allowed the Griffon vulture to have one of the widest thermal neutral zones of any bird.[31]
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 behavior and signs of dominance. The sexes have shown no difference in competitive behaviors. Reintroduced and wild-bred birds did not differ in dominance or feeding rate despite their differences in upbringing.[32]
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.[33]
References
- ^ BirdLife International (2021). "Gyps fulvus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T22695219A157719127. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ Hablizl, Carl (1783). "Bemerkungen in der persischen Landschaft Gilan und auf den Gilanischen Gebirgen". In Pallas, Peter Simon (ed.). Neue nordische Beyträge zur physikalischen und geographischen Erd- und Völkerbeschreibung, Naturgeschichte und Oekonomie (in German). Vol. 4. St. Petersburg and Leipzig: Bey Johann Zacharias Logan. pp. 1–104 [58–59].
- ^ Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2.
- ^ "Griffon vulture". Birdlife international. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-618-12762-7.
- ISBN 978-0-19-563731-1.
- ^ Ettinger, Powell (2008). "Griffon vultures on Cres Island - Croatia". Wildlife Extra.
- ^ "Croatian Flora Fauna clear list".
- ^ "BTO BirdFacts | Griffon Vulture". app.bto.org. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ UNWIN, BRIAN. "Guernsey welcomes its latest resident: the griffon vulture". www.independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015.
- ^ "At last, some good news for Cyprus vultures". birdlifecyprus.org. BirdLife Cyprus. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- S2CID 24900498.
- . Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ "Gänsegeier in Flandern" [Griffon vultures in Flanders]. n-tv (in German). 18 June 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ "Großer Geier-Einflug über Deutschland" [Large vulture flight over Germany] (in German). Handelsblatt. 30 June 2006. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ "Gänsegeier in Deutschland" [Griffon vultures in Germany]. n-tv (in German). 22 June 2006. Retrieved 25 June 2007.
- ^ "Prehistoric flute in Germany is oldest known". Associated Press. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ "Earliest musical tradition documented in SW Germany". Science Centric. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ "Canyon of river Trešnjica". Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
- ^ "Zlatar tourist organization, Serbia".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Grifo (Gyps fulvus)". www.avesdeportugal.info. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ MacKenzie, Debora (1 June 2007). "Starving vultures switch to live prey". New Scientist. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ "Woman Eaten By Vultures After Fall From Cliff". inquisitr. 6 May 2013.
- ^ Armenian Bird Census. "The State of Griffon Vulture in Armenia". Armenian Bird Census. TSE NGO. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ Carey, James R.; Judge, Debra S. "Longevity Records: Life Spans of Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish". Monographs on Population Aging, 8. Odense University Press. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- S2CID 92172949.
- S2CID 20637646.
- PMID 24454760.
- .
- ISSN 1439-0361.
- ^ Bahat O (1995) Physiological adaptations and foraging ecology of an obligatory carrion eater - the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) [PhD thesis]. Tel Aviv: Tel-Aviv University, p. 102.
- .
- ^ Demerdzhiev, D.; Hristov, H.; Dobrev, D.; Angelov, I. & Kurtev, M. (2014). "Long-term population status, breeding parameters and limiting factors of the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus Hablizl, 1783) population in the Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria" (PDF). Acta Zoologica Bulgarica. 66 (3): 373–384.
External links
- Vulture Territory Facts and Characteristics: Eurasian Griffon
- Uvac Special Nature Reserve, Serbia (in Serbian)
- Ageing and sexing (PDF; 5.6 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Archived 14 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- Flicker Handguide
- Grifon Birds of Prey Conservation Centre in Crnika, Croatia
- Mas de Bunyol Vulture observatory in Spain
- Yatsey the Griffon vulture
- BirdLife species factsheet for Gyps fulvus
- "Gyps fulvus". Avibase.
- "Eurasian Griffon media". Internet Bird Collection.
- Eurasian griffon vulture photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
- Audio recordings of Griffon vulture on Xeno-canto.
- A Bulgarian vulture's odyssey into Yemeni war zone