Gyps africanus (White-backed vulture)

Gyps africanus (White-backed vulture)

Witrugaasvoël [Afrikaans]; Ekuvi (generic term for vulture) [Kwangali]; Gora (generic name for vulture) [Shona]; Lingce (generic term for vulture) [Swazi]; Koti (generic term for vulture) [Tsonga]; Kopajammutla, Lenông [Tswana]; Witruggier [Dutch]; Vautour africain [French]; Weißrückengeier [German]; Grifo-de-dorso-branco [Portuguese]

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates) > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class: Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial vertebrates) > Tetrapoda (four-legged vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota > Reptilia (reptiles) > Romeriida > Diapsida > Archosauromorpha > Archosauria > Dinosauria (dinosaurs) > Saurischia > Theropoda (bipedal predatory dinosaurs) > Coelurosauria > Maniraptora > Aves (birds) > Order: Falconiformes > Family: Accipitridae > Genus: Gyps


White-backed vulture. [photo Jeff Poklen ©]	White-backed vulture soaring. [photo Jeff Poklen ©]

fig. 1 - White-backed vulture arrives at its nest, where its mate has been taking care of their chick. [photo Gerhard Theron ©]	fig. 2 - The breeding pair greet each other. [photo Gerhard Theron ©]

fig. 3 - The bird that had been caring for the chick leaves, leaving its mate to care for the chick. [photo Gerhard Theron ©]	fig. 4 - The remaining adult feeds regurgitates food to the chick. [photo Gerhard Theron ©]

Distribution of White-backed vulture in southern Africa, based on statistical smoothing of the records from first SA Bird Atlas Project (© Animal Demography unit, University of Cape Town; smoothing by Birgit Erni and Francesca Little). Colours range from dark blue (most common) through to yellow (least common). See here for the latest distribution from the SABAP2.