International Vulture Awareness Day is almost upon us! To celebrate it, I’d like to introduce you guys to a vulture species I’ve photographed over the past couple of years.
To start of with is the Palm-nut vulture (Gypohierax angolensis). This is a smaller Old World Vulture that’s mostly seen throughout coastal areas of the African continent, from The Gambia to Kenya and as far south as South Africa. The population is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
These birds have a wingspan of about 150cm and weigh in at around 1.3-1.7kg. These birds are quite unusual for birds of prey, since it mainly feeds on the fleshy fruit-husks of the oil-palm and on the palm-fruits of raphia. These fruits make up about 60% of an adult’s diet, and up to 90% of a juvenile bird’s diet. Besides that, it feeds on crabs, molluscs, frigs, fish, locusts, small mammals, reptiles’ eggs and hatchlings, and even domestic poultry on occasion as well as carrion.
Some might think of this gorgeous vulture species as an eagle, considering their beak and their claws. But they’re real vultures. And one of my favourite species of vultures. ❤️
