Red-Headed Vulture

The bright red head of this bird makes it easy to recognize. While imposing to look at, these birds are actually quite timid. Easily chased away from a carcass while feeding, the bird, although in rapid decline population-wise, has benefited from the decline of other large carrion feeders, reducing competition for meals.

The birds are surprisingly agile, a trait they show off during their mating ritual. It is common to see these large birds swoop, soar, and even grasp talons with each other as they appear to dance in the sky.

Their reproduction habits of laying only a single egg at a time, combined with the devastating effect of consuming poisoned meat, have dropped the population level of these majestic birds to critically low levels.

Red-Headed Vulture Amazing Facts

• Both parents play an equal role in raising their young.
• These vultures repair and add to their nest year after year.
• Also known as Indian black vultures, these birds are most numerous in India.

Where to Find Red-Headed Vultures

These birds typically live alone or in breeding pairs across India. There are some remaining birds in Cambodia. While red-headed vultures also lived in Thailand, they are considered nearly extinct in the area now.

Nests

Look for these vulture’s nests at the top of tall trees. Their nests are large and flat.

Classification and Scientific Name

The red-headed vulture, also known as the Asian king or Indian black vulture, is a member of the Accipitridae family. Its scientific name is Sarcogyps calvus.

Appearance

This vulture is noticeable by its bare, red head. Loose flaps of skin hang along either side of the neck. The body of this vulture is covered in dark feathers, ranging from dark brown to black.

Young red-headed vultures are lighter than their mature counterparts and have pale, scruffy feathers on their head.

Behavior

This vulture generally resides alone or as part of a breeding pair. They are rather timid while feeding, although the decline of the more dominant Gyps vulture has led to better feeding conditions for the red-headed vulture.

Once part of a breeding pair, the birds will defend their territory, chasing away other vultures.

Diet

As a carrion feeder, the majority of the red-headed vulture’s diet is carcasses of animals such as deer, livestock, and turtles. They occasionally feed on fresh meat, killing fish that are stranded on dry land and killing already injured birds or other prey.

What does the red-headed vulture eat?

The red-headed vulture mainly eats a diet of carrion but does occasionally make an opportunistic kill of stranded or injured animals.

Predators and Threats

The greatest threat to these vultures is the prescription medication diclofenac. Used to treat illness in livestock, it remains in the tissue after an animal passes away. When vultures feed on the carcass, they are poisoned.

While the use of diclofenac in livestock is now officially banned, it is still widely available, and it is believed that similar medications can also harm the birds.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

The reproduction and mating ritual of this vulture is spectacular. The large birds are surprisingly agile in the air, and their courtship involves mutual displays of soaring, diving, and twisting.

Both members of the pair build their nest, defining the structure with twigs before lining it with softer materials, such as fur and grass. A breeding pair maintains one nest, year after year. They make repairs and add to it as needed. Nests can eventually reach 3 feet in diameter.

Once the female lays her egg, both parents tend to the young. The fledgling will emerge from the egg in around 45 days and require another 2 months or so of constant care.

Population

Considered critically endangered, the red-headed vulture’s population is declining, with an estimated number of fewer than 10,000 of these birds remaining.