Image via Macaulay Library
Red-headed Vulture
- Scientific name
- Sarcogyps calvus
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Conservation status
- Vulnerable
- Habitat
- Forest mixed
- Wing shape
- Broad
- Tail shape
- Wedge shaped
Where it came from
The Red-headed Vulture, scientifically classified as Sarcogyps calvus, is an Old World vulture native to the Indian subcontinent. Historically distributed across much of the region, the species has occupied a unique niche as a scavenger within scrublands and open plains. It is recognized for its distinctive bare, deep-red head and neck, which contrast sharply with its dark plumage, and its broad wings and wedge-shaped tail, which facilitate soaring behavior in search of carrion.
The decline of this species has been extensively documented by conservationists, particularly during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Researchers have identified the widespread veterinary use of the drug diclofenac as the primary driver behind the drastic reduction in their population, as ingestion of the medication through livestock carcasses proved fatal to the birds. The species is currently listed as critically endangered, serving as a focal point for international habitat protection and captive breeding initiatives aimed at preventing its extinction.
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About Red-headed Vulture
Red-headed Vulture is a bird in the Birdwatching catalog on collecto.rs. Catalog data is sourced from eBird. No public birds collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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