Vulture, White Backed
Animal facts
Size
This bird sits at a height of around 37 inches, and has an impressive 86 inch wing span.
Habitat and Distribution
This African Vulture can be found through Ethiopia, spanning across most of Eastern and Southern Africa. It is the most common large Vulture in all of Africa inhabiting open woodland and savannas.
Age
On average a wild specimen will live for around 15 years, however in captivity they can live for 30 to 40 years.
Diet
This is a scavenger which mostly feeds on carcasses which it finds while soaring high above the savanna.
Groups and Breeding
This species often moves in flocks, possibly because it makes it easier this way to find animal carcasses to feed on. After mating at the start of the dry season the female will lay a single egg in a nest made high in a tree. The eggs of this species take 56 days to incubate.
Threats
This species is currently not listed as threatened but its population is constantly declining in the wild for a number of reasons. These reasons include the conversion of their natural habitat for human uses, persecution by hunting and poisoning, poaching for the pet trade and for traditional medicine as well as a decline in both carrion and wild roaming ungulates making it more difficult for them to find food.
Interesting fact's
A group of vultures is commonly called a "venue" however sometimes these groups can also be referred to as "wakes" or "committees", however when a group of vultures is circling a carcass the groups is called a "kettle".