Scientific name: Gyps fulvus
Order: Falconiformes

Also called Eurasian Griffon Vulture

The Griffon Vulture is the friendliest and most social of the vultures, they are non-territorial. There is some indication that pairs mate for life. They are “home” bodies and do not migrate. They breed on crags in mountains in southern Europe, north Africa, and Asia, laying one egg.

Griffon Vultures may form loose colonies. Nests are always placed on cliffs even when trees are available. They are built of twigs and grass and much excrement, often on the remains of previous years’ nests and are found in a variety of sites, from well-protected rock caves to exposed ledges.

Griffon Vultures relay on vision to search for food. The short down covering the head and neck is easy to keep clean. Dozens of griffon vultures gather by pools of water to bathe and then stand with wings extended to dry out. Built for soaring flight, griffons may cruise for 6 or 7 hours and 100 miles looking for food. When one vulture drops to a carcass, others see it and congregate. It’s not unusual to have 50 vultures waiting around kill for a chance to feed. This relatively weak vulture depends on Lappet Faced Vultures or Maribou Storks to open up fresh carcasses.

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