White-headed Vulture

About the White-headed Vulture

Also known as: Whiteheaded Vulture

The White-headed Vulture is a large species of Old World vulture that lives across central and southern parts of Africa.

White-headed Vultures are among the most colorful vulture species. They have bare pink heads and bright orange-pink beaks with a blue-grey base. The body plumage is dark; females have white secondary wing feathers. They are named for the downy white feathers along the back of the head and neck.

White-headed Vultures are considered Vulnerable to extinction. They face many of the same threats impacting vultures around the world: habitat loss through use conversion; (secondary) poisoning; and changes in livestock management.

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Details & Statistics

Added to Birdorable
Hatched on 26 August 2012
Scientific Name
Trigonoceps occipitalis
  • Accipitriformes
  • Accipitridae
  • Trigonoceps
  • T. occipitalis
Birdorable Family
Conservation Status
Critically Endangered (as of 21 March 2020)
CR
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Near Threatened (NT)
  • Vulnerable (VU)
  • Endangered (EN)
  • Critically Endangered (CR)
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW)
  • Extinct (EX)
Source: IUCN Red List
Measurements
Units: Imperial / Metric
28 to 34 inches
82 to 91 inches
140 to 167 ounces

Range

Conservation

From IUCN Red List:
The White-headed Vulture is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2015 by BirdLife International. This species has been uplisted to Critically Endangered. Recent data suggests the already small population is declining at an extremely rapid rate owing to a variety of threats including poisoning, persecution and ecosystem alterations. The species has a very small population which constitutes a single metapopulation as there is presumed to be movement of individuals within its large range. Local extinctions may be accelerated by major poisoning events in isolated localised subpopulations.

International Names

Chinese (汉语) 白头秃鹫
Czech (Cesky) sup chocholatý
Danish (Dansk) Hvidhovedet Grib
Dutch (Nederlands) Witkopgier
Finnish (Suomi) kirjokorppikotka
French (Français) Vautour à tête blanche
German (Deutsch) Wollkopfgeier
Italian (Italiano) Avvoltoio testabianca
Japanese (日本語) カオジロハゲワシ [shirogashirahagewashi]
Norwegian (Norsk) Hvithodegribb
Polish (Polski) sep bialoglowy
Russian (русский язык) Африканский белогорлый гриф
Spanish (Español) Buitre Cabeciblanco
Swedish (Svenska) Vithövdad gam
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