On October 3, during a supply at the Estate Feeding Station for Scavenger Birds of Contenda, in the municipality of Moura, it was observed a Rüppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppellii) among 120 Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) and 7 Black Vultures (Aegypius monachus).

This species, which distribution area is Sub-Saharan Africa, has had an increase in the number of sightings in the Iberian Peninsula during the last decade. Most sightings have taken place in areas where concentrations of migratory Griffon Vultures are often seen (Sagres, in the Vicentine Coast – Portugal, and the Strait of Gibraltar, in Spain), or with unsuccessful breeding attempts in Tagus International.

In the areas where Habitat Lince Abutre LIFE project has been implementing conservation actions aiming the recovery of Black Vulture’s habitat – the Special Protection Areas of Moura-Mourão-Barrancos and Guadiana Valley – it was already observed a juvenile Rüppell’s Vulture, during the counts of scavenger birds at Guadiana Valley in 2012. However, in this second record, the species was observed and photographed inside one of the estate feeding stations belonging to the Network of Feeding Stations for Scavenger Birds created under the scope of our project.

With the conclusion of the implementation of this network, both Rüppell’s Vulture, globally listed as “Threatened”, and other threatened species of scavenger birds that exist in the region, besides Black Vulture (target species of this project), may have ensured minimum availability of carrion in the southeastern region of Portugal for a medium/long term, being a guarantee for the conservation of its populations.


 

Rüppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppellii) at a feeding station for scavenger birds
built by the project in the estate of Contenda

 
Rüppell’s Vulture (left) and Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus, right)





Rüppell’s Vulture in the middle of Griffon Vultures