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ShrublandPlatform nestHuge · 5.4 kg
ID tip
The white-backed vulture is a typical vulture, with only down feathers on the head and neck, very broad wings and short tail feathers. It has a white neck ruff. The adult's whitish back contrasts with the otherwise dark plumage. Juveniles are largely dark. This is a medium-sized vulture; its body mass is 4.2 to 7.2 kg (9.3–15.9 lb), it is 78 to 98 cm (31 to 39 in) long and has a 1.96 to 2.25 m (6 ft 5 in to 7 ft 5 in) wingspan.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the White-backed Vulture
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.
Where to see the White-backed Vulture
The map shades 34 countries with regular records, and 4 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in Spain, Portugal, Togo, Central African Republic.
About the White-backed Vulture
The white-backed vulture 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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Himalayan VultureGyps himalayensisThe 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.
Cape VultureGyps coprotheresThis large vulture is of a creamy-buff colour, with contrasting dark flight and tail feathers.
Rüppell's VultureGyps rueppelliThe Rüppell's vulture is a very large vulture, noticeably outsizing the closely related white-backed vulture, with which they often occur in the wild.
Side by side: Griffon Vulture vs White-backed Vulture · Himalayan Vulture vs White-backed Vulture · Cape Vulture vs White-backed Vulture · Rüppell's Vulture vs White-backed Vulture
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