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Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus)

Other names:
Afrikaans: Swartaasvoël
French: Vautour oricou
German: Ohrengeier
Dutch: Oorgier


Lappet-faced vultures are found throughout Africa. These vultures are among the most solitary and shy of vultures and are therefore usually seen individually or live in pairs although they may gather in larger numbers around a big kill or at water holes. Unlike a number of other African species it doesn't take human refuse and so isn't to be found around human habitation.

This is a large vulture and is about 1.15 meters tall, with a wingspan of 3 meters. The average weight is 14 kilograms.

These large, broad winged vultures are equipped with very large and powerful beaks. Other vultures often rely on Lappet-faced Vultures to open a carcass, they are also able to utilise parts of the body (skin, ligaments and bones) which other raptors can't eat.

In winter both sexes build a large nest of sticks in the top of a thorny tree, open to the sun, away from other species. The nest is lined with grass and fur from carcasses. The birds roost nearby as laying day approaches when one egg is laid. The egg is broad oval, dull white with brown spots and blotches and takes around 53 days to hatch. Both sexes incubate the egg and the first flight of the chick is at 185 days. Life span of these birds can be up to 40 years.

This is the face of the bird we're talking about.
Strange looking but in its own way attractive.

Kruger - Sept 2006

In May, we had an amazing sighting of two Lappet-faced Vultures fighting off a mass of White-backed Vultures at an impala carcass. How this impala died was quite a mystery to us….we used the S102 to drive up to Mpondo dam…saw nothing on our way there…after about an hour we returned the same way and found the vultures at this impala that had no wounds or signs of predator attack…..we saw another dead impala previously the morning on the S25…same thing, no wounds and at this one there was not even vultures.

Whatever was the reason for the impala’s death, it gave us an amazing sighting of these vultures…..it was unfortunately not very easy to get photos due to all the dust and the tall grass.

Larger view

S44 Kruger

Lappet faced vulture - S28 12 Mar 2010

Seen in March in the Satara area.

Large

I took this picture in 2008; don't remember where exactly . (promise I will take notes comming vacation in KNP

Is this a juvenile.

Hi Nannie, I can't see certain images due to a proxy block. So feel free to mail me the photo at wildtuinman@yahoo.com and I will check it out for you.

Got this photo lifer during the BBW in Punda in February on the Mahonie loop.

Awesome shots everyone. I only got a few faaaaar-away ones last Xmas.


Vulture Picnic II by gwendolen, on Flickr

This one was taken in Apr 2010 on the Shongololo Loop



Taken in December 2010 on Crocodile River Road





and in Apr 2011 near Olifants rest camp

Great pics

Seen in Feb in the Croc Bridge area of Kruger.

Large

Taken in KTP 10 days ago, panting in the heat like the rest of us...................


lappet faced vulture by jansp, on Flickr