EGYPTIAN VULTURE

Neophron percnopterus

English: Egyptian Vulture.
German: Schmutzgeier.
French: Percnoptère d’Égypte.

Clasificación/Clasification

Order: Accipitriformes.
Family: Accipitridae.

Longitud/Length

55-65 cm.

Envergadura/Wingspan

148-171 cm.

Aves relacionadas/Similar species

There is no possible confusion with any other species in the Iberian Peninsula.

Sexo/Sexing

Both males and females have very similar plumage and size.

Edad/Ageing

It is possible to recognize 5 different ages:

There are many individual factors (different metabolism, quality of food, time of birth…) that make the molting of such large birds not always follow the same patterns.

Juvenile specimen: It has bluish tones on the face. Its flight feathers and rectrices belong to the same generation. Its plumage has a general dark brown tone, and the body feathers (chest and belly) are speckled with a brownish gray. The wing coverts and rectrices have light-colored tips.

2nd/3rd-year specimen: These individuals are very similar to juveniles but have two generations of flight feathers. Their underparts contrast between dark flanks and a lighter-toned belly. The skin on the face is similar to that of juvenile specimens.

3rd/4th-year specimen: At this age, they already have some white feathers on the underparts and infracoverts. Some white feathers start to appear in the ruff. The rectrices are a gray-brown color with light edges. The skin on the face is similar to that of juvenile specimens but with a yellowish base of the beak.

4th/5th-year specimen: These individuals resemble adult birds to a great extent but have white and brown feathers on the infracoverts. The rectrices have a mix of white and grayish feathers. The body feathers and wing coverts have some brown feathers.

Adult specimen: These individuals have yellow skin on the face. Their body plumage is completely white. The greater infracoverts and primaries are black, and the ruff and nape have all white feathers.

Muda/Moult

Egyptian Vultures undergo a partial postnuptial molt, meaning they do not change all their flight feathers annually. This molt period starts after breeding and pauses before migration to finish in the wintering areas. On the other hand, the post-juvenile molt begins in the 2nd year, retaining some flight feathers that are replaced in the 3rd year. This molting process takes place between March and November.

Configuración del plumaje/Plumage configuration

Primaries: 10 per wing.
Secundaries: 18-20 per wing.
Rectrices: 12-14.

Observaciones/Remarks

Link: http://blascozumeta.com/

Ilustraciones: Sylvática Ilustración.

La obtención de este material ha sido posible gracias al permiso necesario de la Junta de Andalucía.

AUTORIZACIÓN DE LA DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE MEDIO NATURAL, BIODIVERSIDAD Y ESPACIOS PROTEGIDOS DE LA CONSEJERÍA DE AGRICULTURA, GANADERÍA, PESCA Y DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE DE LA JUNTA DE ANDALUCÍA, PARA LA CESIÓN DE MUESTRAS BIOLÓGICAS DE ESPECIES DE FAUNA (ARTÍCULO 9 DE LA LEY 8/2003, DE 28 DE OCTUBRE, DE LA FLORA Y LA FAUNA SILVESTRES).

Medidas/Measures

Biometría/Biometrics

Adult specimen:
Beak tip to pupil center: 52mm
Tarsus:

Classification according to age

Juvenile specimen (1st year)

1.- Right wing primaries. 2.- Details of the inner vanes of P10, P9, P8, and P7. 3.- Details of the inner and outer vanes of P8. 4.- Details of the tip of P3, P2, and P1. 5.- Right wing primaries. 6.- Details of the shaft of the primaries. 7.- Details of the tip of the outer primaries. 8.- Details of the tip of the inner primaries. 9.- Details of the outer vane of the primaries. 10.- Secondaries (S1-S9). 11.- Secondaries (S10-S19). 12.- Details of the inner vane of S1, S2, S3, and S4. 13.- Details of the inner vane of S5, S6, S7, and S8. 14.- Details of the tip of S7, S8, and S9. 15.- Details of the tip of S15, S16, and S17. 16.- Details of S15, S16, and S17. 17.- Details of the tertials. 18.- Details of S3 and S4. 19.- Details of the tertials. 20.- Right wing secondaries and tertials. 21.- Details of the tip of the secondaries. 22.- Details of the outer vane of the secondaries. 23.- Details of the shaft of the secondaries. 24.- Right wing primaries, secondaries, and tertials. 25.- Right wing primaries, secondaries, and tertials. 26.- Primaries, secondaries, and tertials. Primary coverts + greater coverts. 27.- Details of the primary coverts. 28.- Details of the greater coverts. 29.- Details of the tip of the greater coverts. 30.- Primaries, secondaries, and tertials. Primary coverts + greater coverts + median coverts. 31.- Details of the median coverts. 32.- Details of the median coverts. 33.- Primaries, secondaries, tertials. Primary coverts and secondary coverts (G, M, and L). Alulae. 34.- Details of the secondary coverts. 35.- Details of the lesser and median coverts. 36.- Details of the secondary coverts. 37.- Primary coverts. 38.- Greater coverts. 39.- Alulae. 40.- Rectrices. 41.- Details of the inner vane of the rectrices. 42.- Details of the inner vane of the central rectrices. 43.- Arrangement of the rectrices. 44.- Details of the shaft of the rectrices. 45.- Details of the rectrices. 46.- Details of the tip of the rectrices. 47.- Rectrices + uppertail coverts. 48.- Details of the uppertail coverts. 49.- Details of the uppertail coverts. 50.- Uppertail coverts. 51.- Rectrices + undertail coverts. 52.- Details of the undertail coverts. 53.- Above: greater primary infracoverts. Below: median primary infracoverts. 54.- Greater secondary infracoverts. 55.- Feathers of the right scapular. 56.- Arrangement of the feathers on the nape. 57.- Feathers of the nape.

EGYPTIAN VULTURE

Medidas/Measures

Classification according to age

Juvenile specimen (1st year)

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