Accipitriformes / Accipitridae / Gyps
Himalayan Vulture
Gyps himalayensis · 高山兀鹫
Introduction
An Old World vulture native to the Himalayas, foothills of North and Northeastern India, and the adjacent Tibetan Plateau. It is the second-largest Old World vulture species and among the world's largest true raptors. Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Description
The largest of the Gyps species, with weight ranging from 6 kg to 12.5 kg (average estimated at 9 kg) and wingspan varying from 2.56 to 3.1 m. It has dark brown greater covert feathers, tail, and wing quills, contrasting with a pale buff uniform upperside and paler tipped inner secondaries. The underside and under-wing coverts are pale brown or buff, almost white in some individuals. Legs are covered with buffy feathers varying from greenish grey to pale brown. Adults have a long, pale brown ruff with white streaks and spiky feathers; immature heads have whitish down that changes to yellowish in adults. Facial skin is pale blue, lighter than related species, with a yellowish bill. Body feathers have pale shaft streaks.
Identification
Distinguished from the similar Eurasian griffon vulture by pale blue facial skin (versus dark blue), yellowish bill, and flight pattern where long fingers are splayed with a pale patagial stripe on the underwing. The dark wing and tail feathers contrast sharply with pale coverts and body. Differs from the Indian vulture by a stouter, more robust bill; younger birds show buffy-white streaks on scapulars and wing coverts against dark brown underparts.
Distribution & Habitat
Inhabits higher regions of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau at elevations of 1,200–5,500 m. Range extends from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Iran through Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, to western China and Mongolia. Juveniles may disperse further south, with vagrants recorded in Thailand, Burma, Singapore, and Cambodia.
Behavior & Ecology
Perches on crags and basks in the sun; soars in thermals but cannot sustain flapping flight. Feeds exclusively on carrion, often following grazers. On the Tibetan Plateau, 64% of diet comes from deceased domestic yak. It typically eats fleshy tissue rather than offal and has been observed feeding on pine needles, possibly for essential oils. Socially found in large flocks, sometimes accompanied by crows. Defensive around smaller scavengers like foxes but subservient to gray wolves, snow leopards, and cinereous vultures. A large party can strip a carcass in 30 minutes. Breeding begins in January with nests on inaccessible cliff ledges, often in colonies of five to seven pairs. Clutch consists of a single white egg marked with red splotches. Incubation lasts about 54–58 days, and young stay with parents for six to seven months.
Conservation
Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Susceptible to toxicity from diclofenac residues in domestic animal carcasses, which has caused rapid declines in other Gyps vulture populations. While this species has not shown signs of rapid decline overall, reductions in nesting birds have been noted in parts of its range in Nepal.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Gyps
Distribution
Himalayas from northwestern India to Tibet and west-central China
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
