The cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) is the largest bird of prey in the world. Also known as the Eurasian black vulture or monk vulture, this massive bird has a wingspan of up to 10 feet and can weigh over 30 pounds. Cinereous vultures once ranged across much of Europe and Asia, but their populations have declined dramatically in recent decades. Today the species is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List, with between 7,800-10,500 mature individuals estimated to remain globally.
What is the cinereous vulture?
The cinereous vulture is a huge, dark-plumaged vulture with a bare head and neck. Adults have slate gray plumage with black flight feathers and tail. Their head and neck lack feathers, revealing yellowish skin on the face and throat and bluish-gray, wrinkled skin on the neck. Juveniles start out with downy white feathers on the head and neck before molting to the adult pattern. This species gets its common name “cinereous” from the Latin for ash-gray in reference to its overall plumage color.
Cinereous vultures are found across southern Europe, north Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. They inhabit open habitats like grasslands, steppes, pastures, and semi-deserts. As carrion feeders, cinereous vultures rely on finding animal carcasses for food. They use their excellent eyesight and bare heads, which avoid matted blood and feathers, to help spot carrion from the air. Once prey is located, these huge vultures descend to feed communally. They use their long, powerful beaks to rip into tough hides and bones.
Population Status and Threats
The cinereous vulture has disappeared across much of its former range, including large parts of Europe. The European population is estimated at 4,500-5,500 pairs, over half of which nest in Spain. Turkey, Russia, and southeastern Europe also support important nesting populations. Outside of Europe, there are thought to be 1,000-2,000 pairs in northwest Africa, 2,500-5,000 pairs in Central Asia, and 1,000-2,500 pairs on the Indian subcontinent.
Overall the total global population is estimated at 7,800-10,500 mature individuals. The cinereous vulture is currently classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List, having previously been listed as Least Concern. However, it faces a variety of serious threats:
- Habitat degradation due to human agricultural expansion and intensification
- Poisoning from veterinary drugs like diclofenac used on livestock
- Direct persecution and disturbance
- Collision with power lines and wind turbines
- Declines in food availability due to overhunting of wild prey and sanitation of domestic carcasses
These ongoing threats have caused substantial population declines throughout the cinereous vulture’s range over the past several decades. Once widespread across Europe, the species has disappeared from many countries and is now 90% confined to Spain. Similar declines have occurred in parts of Africa and Asia as well. Urgent conservation action is needed to protect remaining populations.
Conservation Status and Efforts
The cinereous vulture has been extirpated across significant portions of its former range, including large parts of Europe. However, some countries still support important nesting populations. According to the most recent estimates, the cinereous vulture population is distributed as follows:
Spain
Spain holds over half of the European population, estimated at 2,500-3,000 pairs. These vultures are found across northern, central, and southern Spain with important populations in Aragon, Castile-Leon, Galicia, and Andalusia regions. Spain has also been the site of successful reintroduction programs in Catalonia.
Turkey
Turkey may have 1,000-1,500 pairs remaining and is thought to have the second largest cinereous vulture population in Europe. Vultures occur mainly in the eastern and southeastern parts of the country. Reintroduction programs have helped restore populations in several areas.
Europe (excluding Spain and Turkey)
The remaining Europe population is estimated at just 1,000-2,000 pairs scattered across southeast Europe, Crimea, and Russia. Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania have 100-300 pairs each. Smaller numbers of breeding pairs are found in Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Ukraine. The small population in Crimea represents the westernmost limit of the species’ range.
Africa
There are an estimated 1,000-2,000 pairs in northwest Africa, scattered sparsely across Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Formerly widespread, the cinereous vulture had declined more than 90% in Africa by the end of the 20th century. Remaining birds face severe threats from poisoning, disturbance, and food shortages.
Asia
Central Asia supports an estimated 2,500-5,000 pairs across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Mongolia. In the Indian subcontinent, there are thought to be 1,000-2,500 pairs in India, with smaller numbers in Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
Conservation Efforts
Given ongoing threats to cinereous vulture populations, this species receives conservation attention across portions of its range. Important measures include legal protection, anti-poisoning campaigns, supplementary feeding programs, nest guarding and monitoring, and reintroduction or restocking efforts. For example, supplying safe food sources at “vulture restaurants” in Africa has helped reduce mortality from poisoned carcasses. More broad-based action to reduce poison bait use, such as through lead ammunition regulations, is also needed. Ultimately, maintaining habitat and food supplies will be key to ensuring sustainable populations of this wide-ranging vulture.
Cinereous Vulture Population by Country
Country | Estimated Population | Population Trend |
---|---|---|
Spain | 2,500-3,000 pairs | Stable |
Turkey | 1,000-1,500 pairs | Decreasing |
Greece | 100-300 pairs | Decreasing |
Bulgaria | 100-300 pairs | Decreasing |
Romania | 100-300 pairs | Decreasing |
Russia | 100-200 pairs | Decreasing |
Portugal | 10-20 pairs | Decreasing |
Italy | 3-5 pairs | Decreasing |
Morocco | 500-1,000 pairs | Decreasing |
Algeria | 200-500 pairs | Decreasing |
Tunisia | 100-250 pairs | Decreasing |
Kazakhstan | 500-2,500 pairs | Stable/Increasing |
Uzbekistan | 500-1,500 pairs | Stable |
Turkmenistan | 800-1,500 pairs | Decreasing |
Tajikistan | 400-700 pairs | Decreasing |
India | 1,000-2,500 pairs | Decreasing |
Total Global Population
The most recent global population estimate for the cinereous vulture is:
– **7,800 – 10,500** mature individuals
This is based on a European population of 4,500-5,500 pairs (9,000-11,000 mature individuals), plus 1,000-2,000 pairs in Africa, 2,500-5,000 pairs in Central Asia, and 1,000-2,500 pairs on the Indian subcontinent.
The cinereous vulture is classified as **Near Threatened** on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. While some populations are stable or increasing, especially in Central Asia, the species has undergone significant declines across much of its range. The global population likely exceeded 10,000 pairs historically before the extensive habitat loss and poisoning campaigns of the 20th century. Maintaining current conservation efforts will be crucial to prevent further declines.
Conclusion
The cinereous vulture has disappeared from much of its former range across Europe, northern Africa, and southern Asia due to a combination of poisoning, direct persecution, habitat degradation, and food shortages. Centuries ago, these massive vultures would have been a common sight across the countryside from Spain to Korea. Today, an estimated 7,800-10,500 mature individuals hang on in fragmented populations.
Spain holds over half of the remaining European cinereous vultures and has seen success with reintroduction programs. Other countries with important nesting populations include Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and India. However, many of these remaining populations are small and face ongoing threats to their survival.
Targeted conservation efforts have helped stabilize or increase some populations, particularly through anti-poisoning campaigns and supplementary feeding programs. But urgent work is still needed to enact broad-based poison bans, reduce disturbance, conserve habitat, ensure adequate food supplies, and closely monitor remaining cinereous vultures. With robust protected areas and policies that support these unique scavengers rather than persecuting them, Eurasian black vulture populations can hopefully be restored to more sustainable levels.