Gyps tenuirostris
The Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) is a large Old World Vulture, a striking and critically endangered raptor native to parts of South and Southeast Asia. Measuring approximately 80-95 cm in length with a wingspan of 190-230 cm and weighing 3.6-6.2 kg, it is characterized by its dark, almost black, body plumage contrasting sharply with a pale, often bare or sparsely downed head and a long, bare neck. A key identifying feature for birders is its notably slender, dark bill, which dis...
Primarily found in lowland plains, dry open country, grasslands, semi-desert areas, and open woodlands, often near human settlements and agricultural lands. They typically forage and roost at elevations from sea level up to around 1,500 meters.
These obligate scavengers feed almost exclusively on carrion, primarily the carcasses of large mammals such as livestock and wild ungulates, which they locate visually from the air or by observing other scavengers.
The Slender-billed Vulture is a diurnal species, spending its days soaring effortlessly on thermals in search of carrion and roosting communally in large trees or on cliffs at night. Their foraging strategy relies heavily on acute eyesight, spotting carcasses from great heights or observing the d...
The Slender-billed Vulture has a highly fragmented and severely contracted range across South and Southeast Asia. Historically, its distribution spanned from northern and eastern India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, eastward through Myanmar, into Cambodia, Laos, and southern Vietnam. Today, remnant popu...
Critically Endangered
- The Slender-billed Vulture's population has declined by over 97% since the 1990s, primarily due to poisoning from the veterinary drug diclofenac, earning it a 'Critically Endangered' status. - Its distinctive slender bill is an adaptation that allows it to reach meat deep within the crevices an...