| Egyptian Vulture | |
| Neophron percnopterus | |
| Status: | Extinct as breeding species |
| Range: | Vagrant to southern Africa, especially nw Namibia, s Angola |
| Area of occupancy: | 7,250 km2 |
| Population estimate in Namibia: | 1-5 individuals |
| Population trend: | Stable in last 25 yr |
| Habitat: | Arid open plains near inselbergs |
| Threats: | Poisons, food shortage, persecution |
Distribution and abundance
 Click to see distribution map |
This species was once seen in the mountains around Cape Town in 1670 and was common around Ostrich farms and rural villages of South Africa in the late 1800s and early 1900s (Mundy et al. 1992). It is no longer found in any of these areas and isolated sighting occur only from northern Namibia, southwestern Angola and from the Transkei (Mundy et al. 1992, Jenkins 1997, Clinning 1980, CJ Vernon in litt.).
The African subspecies N. p. percnopterus ranges through arid areas of north and East Africa and into Europe and India, where a second smaller subspecies N. p. ginginianus occurs (Brown et al. 1982, Mundy et al. 1992). The southern African birds limited to Namibia and Angola with the occasional sighting from South Africa are thought to belong to a third subspecies (P. Bloomer in litt) but genetic evidence is lacking, and the nominate race is unique among vultures for its migratory habits (Mundy et al. 1992). Thus southern birds may simply be migratory birds from Tanzanian populations which lie some 2,600 - 3,000 km north (Mundy et al. 1992).
Since Clinning (1980) and Berry & Berry (1984) first drew attention to a number of sighting in Etosha, to date 20 sightings have been recorded and reported from the past 24 yrs (Table 1). The majority of those aged (n = 22) were immatures (59% - brown plumaged) and 8 were adults including two pairs. The majority of the sightings were from Etosha (70% of 23 birds), but 22% were from coastal regions (very unusual for vultures in Namibia but consistent with the birds unusual behaviour) and the remainder were from inland areas. The fact that so many birds were immatures suggests that breeding still occurs in Namibia or southern Angola. Alternatively, the immatures from elsewhere are heading south to coincide with rains in arid regions of southern Africa This is equally plausible given that most sightings (57%) in Namibia are from January-March, which is the main rain season when influxes occur elsewhere in Africa (Mundy et al. 1992).
Population size has been estimated at "perhaps 10 pairs or so" in southern Africa, including Angola (Mundy et al. 1992), but no recent surveys can confirm this (Simmons & Bridgeford 1997). Its population may be stable, despite the very small numbers, given that sightings have been maintained at about one per year for the last two decades (Table 1).
Ecology
Breeding has only been suspected in one case in Namibia where a pair of birds were seen soaring near a cliff-site stick nest (CJ Brown unpubl). No reproduction however, was actually recorded. This and other sites were re-visited 9 yr later and no birds were evident during a short helicopter survey (RE Simmons unpubl). It is unlikely that birds breed in Namibia, but remote parts of Angola (Iona National Park) and s and w-c parts of Angola (Dean 2000) may be more likely and surveys should be undertaken there. Steep cliffs with potholes or large ledges are preferred nesting habitat in arid and remote areas. While breeding still took place in South Africa birds nested in trees, but they are best known for breeding on cliffs, building large untidy structures which may used for several decades (Mundy et al. 1992). Egg laying occurs between August and December - the start of the spring rains in South Africa.
The bird feeds on large carcasses especially of migrant ungulates (including cattle and humans) and this can attract large groups of 20 - 40 birds (Mundy et al. 1992). However it is attracted to rural human settlements since it scavenges offal and garbage and will also take faeces, fish and whale offal and feeds among piles of vegetables where it truly commensal with man (Mundy et al. 1992). It is also a predator and will take insects, birds and large white eggs up to the size of an Ostrich egg, smashing them open with stones (Mundy et al. 1992).
Threats
The demise of large herds of migratory ungulates through southern Africa and the gradual decrease in aboriginal people living traditional lives is believed to have been the main reason for the demise of this species from virtually all of southern Africa (Mundy et al. 1992, Jenkins 1997). This single factor is probably the reason that most Egyptian Vulture sightings occur in Etosha where large herds living and dying under natural conditions still occur. Poisons such as strychnine are also likely to have played a role because in many remote areas rural communities live essentially unchanged lives from a century ago (e.g. Jacobsohn 1991) yet they are know in certain cases to use poisons (E Komen pers comm).
Conservation status
This species is classified as Regionally Extinct because no breeding birds have been seen in s Africa since 1990 when a pair was reported near a nest site in northern Namibia (CJ Brown pers comm). Indeed no breeding was apparent then either. It is similarly categorized in the South African Red Data book (Barnes 2000), but relatively widespread healthy populations in the Middle East and India preclude it from being a globally threatened species (Stattersfield & Capper 2000). The sighting rate of one bird per year in Namibia of which 59% are immature birds (Table 1 below) suggests that Egyptian Vultures may still occur and breed in the region and Mundy et al.'s guess that perhaps 10 pairs still persist in Angola or Namibia is still relevant today.
Actions
Surveys to locate breeding birds and to determine the origin of the birds that frequent Etosha is essential in understanding and saving this presumed relict subspecies. Both ground and aerial surveys in inselbergs and mountain chains in northern Namibia and south western Angola - including coastal areas where the escarpment reaches the ocean in Angola (Dean 2000) - will determine if pairs are still resident here. Feathers from live or dead birds will be very useful to compare with genetically finger-printed birds from north Africa to determine the status of this presumed unique subspecies (P. Bloomer in litt).
The poisoning of carcasses which takes place in both communal and commercial farmland needs to be outlawed and brought to an end so that Namibia's vultures do not follow the same fate as this species.
Table 1: Known sightings of Egyptian Vultures
| Date | Place | Age | Observer + notes |
| 25 June 1978 | N of Swakopmund (central coast) | imm | Clinning 1980 |
| 10 July 1978 | Henties Bay (central coast) | imm | P. Bridgeford in Clinning 1980 |
| 24 Oct 1978 | Ganab, Namib Desert | imm | Clinning 1980 |
| 8 Feb 1973 | Andoni Plains, Etosha | adult | A. van Vuuren in Clinning 1980 |
| early Dec 1978 | Otjovasandu, west Etosha | adult | C. Eyre in Clinning 1980 |
| 12 Jan 1979 | Otjovasandu, west Etosha | adult | C. Eyre in Clinning 1980 |
| April 1982 | Ugab River mouth | Juv | S. Braine (feeding on fish) |
| 23 Jan 1983 | Okaukuejo, central Etosha | imm | Berry & Berry 1984 |
| Jan 1983 | Andoni Waterhole, Etosha | adult | P. Burger (Otjiwarongo) |
| March 1983 | Andoni Waterhole, Etosha | 2 adult | P. Burger (Otjiwarongo) |
| 20 Sept 1991 | Klein Namutoni, east Etosha | imm | H. Moran (photographed) |
| 26 March 1993 | Okaukuejo, central Etosha | imm | R. Simmons (photographed) |
| ? 1993 | M'Bari, Etosha | Juv | S. Braine |
| 14 May 1994 | Gobaub, s. central Etosha | imm | W. du Plessis |
| 28 Oct 1994 | Ugab River, 10 km from coast | adult pr | J. Friede |
| 13 Mar 2000 | 4km n of Okendeka, Etosha | 2 subad. | W. du Plessis (feeding on Springbok) |
| Nov 1999 | RES - no EVs in aerial survey, Opuwo | Helicopter survey with Tim Jackman | |
| Jan 2000 | Waterberg | ?? | B. Lovegrove - no description |
| 21 Jan 2001 | Musharai (n. of Namutoni) | Imm, | T. Osborne |
| 4 Nov 2001 | Rietfontein Waterhole, Etosha | 2nd yr | L. Hansson (Swede), photos |
| 30 Jan 2002 | Goas Waterhole, Etosha | 2nd yr | T. Osborne (videoed) |
| Totals: 20 sightings in 24 yrs | Mainly Etosha | 13 immatures, 8 adults (one pair), 1 n.d. = 23 birds | |
From: Simmons RE & Brown CJ 2006. Birds to watch in Namibia: red, rare and endemic species. National Biodiversity Programme, Windhoek, Namibia
References
Barnes KN 2000 (ed) 2000. The Eskom Red data book of birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Berry H, Berry CU 1984. Confirmation of Egyptian Vulture in the Etosha National Park. Madoqua 13: 321.l
Bloomer P Poster: Genetic assessment of Egyptian Vulture in southern Africa. University of Pretoria.
Braine, Steve, personal observations from coastal Angola (Hobatere@mweb.com.na)
Brown LH, Urban EK, Newman K. 1982. Birds of Africa. Vol 1. Academic Press, London.
Brown, Chris Dr. Verbal description of Egyptian Vultures and possible nest. (cb@nnf.org.na)
Clinning CF 1980. Sight records of the Egyptian Vulture from South West Africa/Namibia. Madoqua 12:63-64.
Dean WRJ 2002 The birds of Angola. BOU Checklist No 18. Tring, Hertfordshire UK
Jacobsohn M 1991 Himba: nomads of the north. Struik, Cape Town
Jenkins AR 1997 Egyptian Vulture. In: Harrison JA, Allan DG, Underhill LG, Herremans M, Tree AJ, Parker V, Brown CJ (eds). The Atlas of Southern African Birds. Vol 1:151. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg.
Komen, Elizabeth Personal communication. NARREC, Windhoek (liz@narrec.schoolnet.na)
Simmons RE, Bridgeford P 1998. The status and conservation of vultures in Namibia. In: Boshoff AF, Anderson M, Borello, W. 1997 Vultures in the 21st Century. Pp 67-75. Proceedings of Workshop on Vulture Research and conservation in southern Africa. Vulture Study Group, Johannesburg.
Simmons RE. 1999. Helicopter Survey for Egyptian Vulture and Cape Vulture. Unpubl report Ministry of Environment & Tourism, Windhoek.
Stattersfield AJ, Capper M 2000. Threatened birds of the World. Birdlife International, Cambridge, UK
Vernon Carl Personal Communication. East London Museum (e-mail: gvernon@qwest.co.za.)