Photo: Juan Lacruz / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cinereous Vulture
Aegypius monachus
Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) — Birds of Prey of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 9.3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Aegypius
- Species monachus
Where it lives
Southern Europe to central Asia, Pakistan and northwestern India
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.3 kg
- Diet
- Scavengers
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cinereous Vulture feeds largely by scavenging carrion.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Cinereous Vulture is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL s Europe to c Asia, Pakistan and nw India.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 9.3 kg, with a wing length of about 73.4 cm and a tail of around 37.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cinereous Vulture?
The Cinereous Vulture is a very large bird that weighs around 9.3 kg.
Where does the Cinereous Vulture live?
The Cinereous Vulture is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL s Europe to c Asia, Pakistan and nw India, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cinereous Vulture belong to?
The Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Cinereous Vulture eat?
The Cinereous Vulture feeds largely by scavenging carrion.
Does the Cinereous Vulture migrate?
The Cinereous Vulture is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cinereous Vulture endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Cinereous Vulture make?
1 real field recording of the Cinereous Vulture — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Cinereous Vulture's range?
The Cinereous Vulture has a mapped global range of about 7.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.