In November 20, 2013 a Black Vulture with the plastic ring 1CT was photographed by the monitoring camera traps of the Feeding Station for Scavenger Birds of the Contenda Estate, in Moura.

The research revealed to be a bird tagged under the scope of a study of the Doñana Biological Station that took place on late 90’s to investigate the use of space and survival of the Black Vulture population of Serra Pelada’s colony (Huelva, Spain).

We therefore know that this vulture was tagged in November 1997 and monitored in the subsequent years thanks to a radio transmitter that allowed, along with other tagged vultures, to get to know the feeding areas used by the adult vultures of this colony. As a result of this work, it was confirmed the use of Southeastern Portugal by many of these birds – a region where Habitat Lince Abutre is implementing a set of conservation measures for this species.

At the time it was tagged, the Black Vulture 1CT was a subadult or adult bird, meaning it had 4-6 years old and that today it could have 20 years old!!!!

This information, resultant from the monitoring of tagged birds, is of great usefulness to get to know the survival rate, longevity and use of space by these birds, and therefore learn and delimit the regions where to apply more efficiently the conservation measures.

Thus, the feeding stations for scavenger birds, besides providing additional safe carcasses for the survival of scavenger birds, are an excellent place to, through its monitoring, obtain very useful and important information to later apply in the management and conservation of scavenger birds’ populations

 

 

The Feeding Station for Scavenger Birds of Contenda Estate is integrated in the Network of Feeding Stations for Black Vulture of Habitat Lince Abutre LIFE project.