# White-Backed Vulture (*gyps africanus*) The White-Backed Vulture is a magnificent bird that soars high in the sky! With its impressive wingspan, it can spot food from miles away. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Open grasslands and savannas in Africa. - **Also known as:** African Vulture, Gyps Vulture, White-Back Vulture ![White-Backed Vulture](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2012-white-backed-vulture.jpg&width=800) Photo: Yathin sk, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2012-white-backed-vulture.jpg) ## Appearance The White-Backed Vulture is a medium-sized scavenger, predominantly dark brown with striking white downy feathers on its lower back, visible in flight. It has a bare, greyish-black neck and head, contrasting with its dark body plumage. Its broad wings and short tail are typical of a soaring raptor. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Gyps ## Interesting facts - A circling group of vultures is surprisingly called a 'kettle'! - Their bald heads prevent messy feathers while they are feeding on carcasses. - These vultures can safely eat bacteria-filled meat that would harm other animals! - They often follow lions and other predators to finish off their leftovers. ## Special abilities - **Thermal Navigator:** White-Backed Vulture can ride invisible columns of warm air because this helps them soar effortlessly for hours without flapping. - **Eagle-Eyed Scavenger:** White-Backed Vulture has incredibly sharp vision that helps them spot tiny food sources from very high altitudes. - **Clean-Up Crew:** White-Backed Vulture can efficiently strip carcasses clean because their strong beaks and stomach acids help keep ecosystems healthy. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 78-90 cm - **Wingspan:** 196-226 cm - **Weight:** 4.2-7.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 19-20 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1 - **Incubation:** 56-58 days ## Diet & Feeding These incredible birds eat mostly dead animals, helping keep the savannas clean and healthy! - **Primary Foods:** large mammal carcasses, smaller animal carcasses, predator leftovers - **Foraging Method:** Scavenging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Lion (*Panthera leo*) — follows to scavenge predator kills - **Eats:** [Wildebeest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wildebeest) (*Connochaetes taurinus*) — feeds on their deceased bodies - **Symbiotic with:** [Spotted Hyena](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-hyena) (*Crocuta crocuta*) — competes for carrion at kill sites - **Shelter:** Umbrella Thorn Acacia (*Vachellia tortilis*) — builds nests in its sturdy branches ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-Backed Vulture? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White-Backed Vulture? 78-90 cm ### What is White-Backed Vulture's wingspan? 196-226 cm ### How much does White-Backed Vulture weigh? 4.2-7.2 kg ### How long does White-Backed Vulture live? 19-20 years ### How fast can White-Backed Vulture move? 70 km/h ### What does White-Backed Vulture eat? These incredible birds eat mostly dead animals, helping keep the savannas clean and healthy! ### Where is White-Backed Vulture usually found? Open grasslands and savannas in Africa. ## Where to spot - [Vogelpark Marlow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/vogelpark-marlow) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Zoo ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [White-Backed Vulture: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-backed-vulture)