Bird Guide

Cape Vulture vs Griffon Vulture

Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres)

Cape Vulture

Gyps coprotheres

Huge8.2 kgGrassland

This large vulture is of a creamy-buff colour, with contrasting dark flight and tail feathers. The adult is paler than the juvenile, and its underwing coverts can appear almost white at a distance. The head and neck are near-naked. The eyes are yellowish, and the bill is black. Juveniles and immatures are generally darker and more streaked, with brown to orange eyes and red necks. It closely resembles the white-backed vulture, however it is larger and has yellow irises. The average length of adult vultures is about 96–115 cm (38–45 in) with a wingspan of 2.26–2.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Gyps_coprotheres_-St_Augustine_Alligator_Farm,_St._Augustine,_Florida-8a.jpg: Gregory Moine derivative work: Snowmanradio (talk) · CC BY 2.0
Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)

Griffon Vulture

Gyps fulvus

Huge7.4 kgGrassland

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. 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.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Griffon Vulture
Recorded by Thomas SIGNEAU · Aberrant, call · Aveyron, France · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Karim Haddad · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cape Vulture and Griffon Vulture.