White-backed Vulture
Gyps africanus Salvadori, 1865
5.4 kgWeight
The white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus) is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks.
Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa
White-backed Vulture has been recorded at 373 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 34 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Nairobi NPKenya2,203 records
- Tarangire NPTanzania1,100 records
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania959 records
More places
- Amboseli NPKenya728 records
- Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya697 records
- Maasai Mara NRKenya658 records
- Lake Mburo NPUganda615 records
- Serengeti NPTanzania601 records
- Mkhuze GRSouth Africa492 records
- Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa488 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus) is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the most common vulture species in the continent of Africa.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the White-backed Vulture?
The White-backed Vulture weighs around 5.4 kg.
Where does the White-backed Vulture live?
Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
When is the best time to see the White-backed Vulture?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the White-backed Vulture endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the White-backed Vulture as Critically Endangered.
What does the White-backed Vulture eat?
Main food: Carrion.
What family is the White-backed Vulture in?
It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 5.4 kg
- Habitat
- Shrubland
- Diet
- Carrion
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Critically Endangered
More measurements
- Wing
- 578 mm
- Tail
- 225 mm
- Bill
- 61 mm
- Tarsus
- 96 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: widespread
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
- Genus
- Gyps
Other birds in the genus Gyps
Himalayan VultureGyps himalayensis
White-rumped VultureGyps bengalensis
Indian VultureGyps indicus
Slender-billed VultureGyps tenuirostris
Cape VultureGyps coprotheres
Rüppell's VultureGyps rueppelli
Griffon VultureGyps fulvus
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsonii
Scissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocourii
White-tailed KiteElanus leucurus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Scott Ranger. ↗
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