Red-headed Vulture Facts

Red-headed Vulture Profile

Despite being the largest raptors, vultures are often overlooked in favour of the more charismatic eagles and hawks.

And this is causing a lot of problems for conservationists, who struggle to drum up enthusiasm for an animal associated with rotting meat and disease. 

So, when vulture populations in Asia collapse almost overnight, there’s not nearly enough sympathy, and this might have dangerous repercussions for the ecosystem – and the people in it – if it’s not addressed. 

The red-headed vulture is one of the most threatened species in India and is in desperate need of help. 

Red-headed Vulture Facts Overview

The red-headed vulture is one of a kind and is an attentive lover and busy housemate.

These birds make good parents, but the conditions of the world they’re bringing their young into are no longer safe and the species, along with so many other vulture species, is now on the brink. 

Major threats relate to livestock farming and all the destruction that comes along with it.

These vultures have had their habitats destroyed, their food supply wiped out and their meals poisoned, and their species, along with their role as critical environmental clean-up crews, are likely to collapse with dangerous consequences. 

Interesting Red-headed Vulture Facts

1. They’re unique 

Red-headed vultures are the only members of their genus Sarcogyps. It’s thought that they are most closely related to the lappet-faced vulture, and they certainly look it.

This puts it in the same subfamily as many of the African vultures, and some say that it may even share a genus with the white-headed and lappet-faced vultures.

But for now, it’s alone in the world, thousands of miles from its closest relatives. 

2. They have an elegant mating ritual

This species isn’t hugely social, and most groups are limited to two or three birds. But when they do get together, they make it worthwhile. 

The intricate mating dance of this species is one of impressive agility, considering how large and heavy these birds are. 

They team up to engage in choreographed soaring, sailing next to and past one another, diving and twisting, and occasionally locking talons and cartwheeling through the air together, only separating moments before hitting the ground. 

This ritual resembles that of some other large raptors and is used persuasively as a sign of fitness. Once a mate is chosen, they’ll start building a home together. 

3. They make home improvements

The newly-coupled birds will start off with a small and humble abode. Both will throw together a sensible nest that’s good enough for the first year, but it will be maintained and extended over time, and will eventually grow to a much larger structure. 

A mature red-headed vulture nest can be over a metre across, and will either be the product of a committed and ongoing development, or an abandoned nest from another species that the new couple moved into and fixed up. ¹

4. They’re good breeders

Once they lay their eggs, the parents will diligently defend their territories to keep their offspring safe. One study followed 24 birds and established that they had 100% breeding success, suggesting a very resilient and high-potential species. 

But unfortunately, being a good breeder isn’t always enough. 

5. They’re not studied well enough

Despite being large and critically important animals, vultures don’t get a lot of attention, and the data on this species is sorely lacking for such a troubled animal. 

We know it nests in tall trees, usually below 2,500 metres, but the day-to-day movements of individuals aren’t well understood. 

We can infer from the data on other species, that as a carrion-feeder, red-headed vultures will provide a critical ecosystem service by removing decaying organic matter and reducing disease while recycling nutrients into the soil, but despite their strong nesting and breeding skills, the odds are stacked against them. 

6. But they’re in serious trouble

Asian vultures are in a bad way.

The rise of animal agriculture has attacked them from all angles, cutting down their nesting sites, wiping out the local ungulate populations they would feed on, bringing with it electrification, and the accompanied collisions with power lines, and perhaps most importantly, a sweeping toxin that poisons what little food they have left. 

The result is a drop of over 90% in this species in just ten years. ^{2 3}

7. They’re being poisoned

Diclofenac appears to be the main culprit in vulture decline in Asia. It’s a commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that goes into livestock as a cheaper alternative to healthy genetics and better husbandry. 

Unfortunately, it is exceptionally toxic to raptors, who, with their wild ungulate food source wiped out, are commonly reduced to eating the decaying livestock that didn’t make it to slaughtering age. 

This species is now on the Critically Endangered list, along with the white-rumped and slender-billed vultures, and for the same reason. 

Fortunately, the widespread use of Diclofenac was banned in many countries by 2010, but this has limited effect while it’s still readily available. ⁴

8. Diclofenac bans work only when they’re enforced

The Peregrine Fund was instrumental in discovering the association between Diclofenac and vulture decline and has worked in this time to push legislation and policy to reduce and remove its use.

In India, it has been banned since 2006, and there was immediately a noticeable reduction in vulture decline. 

Drugs with similar effects have been introduced, but Diclofenac remains available despite widespread bans, so their impact is still limited and the vultures are still in danger. 

There’s a lot of work to be done to change attitudes and enforce important restrictions, but the good news is that if bans can be enforced, multiple other species stand to benefit. 

Red-headed Vulture Fact-File Summary

Scientific Classification

1. (2018), “Three Critically Endangered Red-headed Vulture Nests Discovered In Cambodia’s Chhep Wildlife Sanctuary”, WCS Newsroom.
2. “Red-headed Vulture”, edge.
3. “Red-headed Vulture”, IUCN Red List.
4. R. Cuthbert (2006), “Rapid population declines of Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) in India”, Zoological Society of London.