Photo: Lip Kee from Singapore, Republic of Singapore / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rüppell’s Vulture
Gyps rueppelli
Rüppell's Vulture (Gyps rueppelli) — Birds of Prey of Africa.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rüppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppelli) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 7.4 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 rueppelli
Quick facts
- Weight
- 7.4 kg
- Diet
- Scavengers
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rüppell’s Vulture feeds largely by scavenging carrion.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Rüppell’s Vulture is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rüppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppelli) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF e, c, w.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 7.4 kg, with a wing length of about 62.8 cm and a tail of around 23.6 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 6.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rüppell’s Vulture?
The Rüppell’s Vulture is a very large bird that weighs around 7.4 kg.
Where does the Rüppell’s Vulture live?
The Rüppell’s Vulture is found across Africa with a range covering AF e, c, w, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Rüppell’s Vulture belong to?
The Rüppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppelli) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Rüppell’s Vulture eat?
The Rüppell’s Vulture feeds largely by scavenging carrion.
Does the Rüppell’s Vulture migrate?
The Rüppell’s Vulture is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rüppell’s 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.
What sound does the Rüppell’s Vulture make?
1 real field recording of the Rüppell’s 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 Rüppell’s Vulture's range?
The Rüppell’s Vulture has a mapped global range of about 6.4 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.
Explore more birds
More in Accipitridae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
More in Birds of Prey
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
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.