Cape Vulture
ExploreBirds
Cape Vulture
gyps coprotheres
The Cape Vulture is a large bird known for its impressive wingspan. These vultures help keep nature clean by eating dead animals!
Habitat: Cape Vultures live in open grasslands and savannas in southern Africa.
Appearance
The Cape Vulture is a large, pale-bodied raptor with striking dark flight feathers. Its long, bare bluish-grey neck and head, which can flush pink, contrast sharply with its creamy plumage, making it visually distinctive.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderAccipitriformesFamilyAccipitridaeGenusGyps
Category
BirdsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Baby Cape Vultures are covered in fluffy white down and are called 'chicks'.
Cape Vultures have a 'crop' to store a giant meal for later!
They build huge nests on steep cliff ledges for safety!
They can fly incredibly high, sometimes up to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters)!
Special abilities
Ability
Thermal Soaring
Cape Vultures can soar effortlessly for hours using warm air currents, helping them save energy over vast distances.
Ability
Iron Stomach
Cape Vultures have a super acidic stomach that destroys harmful bacteria in rotting meat, keeping them healthy.
Ability
Communal Spotters
Cape Vultures often find food by watching other vultures, which helps them locate distant carcasses faster.
Ability
Bare Neck Advantage
Cape Vultures have a featherless neck that helps them stay clean while feeding deep inside carcasses.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 96-115 cm
- Wingspan
- 226-260 cm
- Weight
- 7-11 kg
- Lifespan
- 20-35 years
- Top Speed
- 60 km/h
- Clutch Size
- 1
- Incubation
- 55-60 days
Diet & Feeding
These magnificent birds are nature's clean-up crew, eating only dead animals to keep ecosystems tidy!
Primary Foods
- carcasses of large mammals
- dead birds
- small carrion
Foraging Method
- Scavenging
Ecological connections
eats
domestic cattle
Bos taurus
Eats dead cattle, helping to clean up farm landscapes.
eats
blue wildebeest
Connochaetes taurinus
Scavenges on carcasses of wildebeest, preventing disease.
eaten by
Verreaux's Eagle
Aquila verreauxii
Eggs and chicks can be prey for large raptors like eagles.
depends on
lion
Panthera leo
Vultures often follow lions, depending on their kills for food.
Traits
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Carnivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Migratory
Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability.
Endangered
Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
Also known as
Cape Griffon
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Cape Vulture?
96-115 cm
What is Cape Vulture's wingspan?
226-260 cm
How much does Cape Vulture weigh?
7-11 kg
How long does Cape Vulture live?
20-35 years
How fast can Cape Vulture move?
60 km/h
What does Cape Vulture eat?
These magnificent birds are nature's clean-up crew, eating only dead animals to keep ecosystems tidy!
Where is Cape Vulture usually found?
Cape Vultures live in open grasslands and savannas in southern Africa.
How does Cape Vulture hunt?
Scavenging
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