Bird Guide

Cape Vulture vs Himalayan 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
Himalayan Vulture (Gyps himalayensis)

Himalayan Vulture

Gyps himalayensis

Huge9.8 kgRocky

The Himalayan vulture has dark brown greater covert feathers, tail and wing quills, but a pale buff uniform upperside and paler tipped inner secondaries; its legs are covered with buffy feathers and vary in colour from greenish grey to pale brown. The underside and under-wing coverts are pale brown or buff, almost white in some individuals. The whitish down on the head of immatures changes to yellowish in adults who have a long and pale brown ruff with white streaks and long and spiky ruff feathers.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Jan Reurink from Netherlands · CC BY 2.0

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