Photo: Yathin sk at English Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Indian Vulture
Gyps indicus
Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) — Birds of Prey of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 5.5 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Critically Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Gyps
- Species indicus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.5 kg
- Diet
- Scavengers
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Indian Vulture feeds largely by scavenging carrion.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Indian Vulture is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR se Pakistan and s India.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 5.5 kg, with a wing length of about 58.6 cm and a tail of around 23.5 cm.
It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.1 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Indian Vulture?
The Indian Vulture is a very large bird that weighs around 5.5 kg.
Where does the Indian Vulture live?
The Indian Vulture is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR se Pakistan and s India, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Indian Vulture belong to?
The Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Indian Vulture eat?
The Indian Vulture feeds largely by scavenging carrion.
Does the Indian Vulture migrate?
The Indian Vulture is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Indian Vulture endangered?
It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.
How large is the Indian Vulture's range?
The Indian Vulture has a mapped global range of about 1.1 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.