January 12, 2014

Vultures in Ethiopia

Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus). Robe. Ethiopia. 10 May 2013
Since there is little information on abundance of vultures in Ethiopia, the following information may be of interest.

On a long 2.988 km route from Awash to Moyale and back to Addis Ababa in May 2013 we recorded the following vulture species and numbers. The low density of almost all species in central and southern Ethiopia - compared to previous years - was striking. Only the Hooded Vulture is still abundant in some areas. In Filtu, 5°6’58”N 40°39’31’’E, we counted at least 70 individuals roosting on a radio antenna tower (12 May 2013).

Species: records/individuals 

Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus: 1/1
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus: 7/12
Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus : 60/412
White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis: 3/6
Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus: 2/5
White-backed & Rüppell’s Vulture Gyps africanus & Gyps ruepelli: 19/107.

The records of White-backed and Rüppell’s Vulture were summarized here because of some uncertain identifications of immature individuals.

In addition a Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus was recorded on 10 May 2013, E of Robe, Bale area, 7°23’9’’N 40°8’26’’E. It seems to be the southernmost record in Ethiopia, according to the distribution map in Ash & Atkins (2009). Only 12 Ethiopian records up to 2009 in the northern part of the country.


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