Aegypius monachus

Aegypius monachus

The cinereous vulture or black vulture, Eurasian black vulture, monk vulture (Aegypius monachus, Linnaeus, 1766) is a bird belonging to the Accipitridae family.

Systematic –
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Animalia,
Subkingdom Eumetazoa,
Superphylum Deuterostomia,
Phylum Chordata,
Subphylum Vertebrata,
Infraphylum Gnathostomata,
Superclass Tetrapoda,
Aves class,
Subclass Neornithes,
Superorder Neognathae,
Order Accipitriformes,
Accipitridae family,
Subfamily Gypinae,
Genus Aegypius,
Species A. monachus.
The terms are synonymous:
– Aegypius monachus (Linnaeus, 1766);
– Aegypius monachus danieli Meinertzhagen, R, 1938;
– Polypteryx cupido Hodgson, BH, 1844;
– Vultur monachus Linnaeus, 1766;
– Vultur monarchus Gray, JE;
– Vultur niger Daudin, FM, 1800.

Geographical distribution and habitat –
The Aegypius monachus is the largest Old World vulture and one of the most impressive extant raptors. Its distribution extends across a vast Eurasian range that includes the Iberian Peninsula, the Balkans, Turkey, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and much of Central Asia, as far as Mongolia, northern China, and Korea. Although its range is very large, the species’ presence is now fragmented into isolated nuclei, a consequence of the sharp decline it has suffered over the last two centuries.
Spain currently hosts the largest European population and represents the main bastion for the species’ conservation on the continent. France, too, has regained a small breeding population thanks to a reintroduction program begun in the 1990s. In Italy, however, the black vulture is considered extinct as a breeding species: the last confirmed breeding occurred in 1961 in Sardinia. In recent years, however, some individuals from southern France have been observed in the Italian Alps, suggesting the possibility of future spontaneous recolonization.
The ideal habitat for the black vulture consists of vast, sparsely populated mountainous areas, where large, mature forests alternate with grasslands, pastures, and open spaces. These landscapes offer both large trees, essential for nest building, and large areas in which to search for carcasses for its food. The species is particularly sensitive to human disturbance and tends to avoid heavily frequented areas, preferring remote, quiet territories. Adults are generally sedentary, while juveniles may make long exploratory journeys before establishing their own breeding territory.

Description –
With a wingspan of over three meters and a weight of up to fourteen kilograms (females), the Aegypius monachus is one of the largest flightless birds. Its plumage is almost entirely blackish-brown, a characteristic that has earned it the name “black vulture” in many languages. The head, covered with a fine down, appears relatively small compared to its massive body, while the neck is surrounded by a prominent ruff of feathers.
The wings are very broad and rectangular, allowing the animal to exploit thermals to glide for tens of kilometers with minimal energy expenditure. Its beak is extraordinarily robust, one of the most powerful of all birds of prey, allowing it to tear through even the thickest hides of large carcasses. Thanks to this characteristic, it is often the first scavenger to open a dead animal, subsequently making the tissue accessible to other vultures and numerous scavengers.
Generally silent, the black vulture only vocalizes during the breeding season or during interactions between adults and chicks.

Biology –
Like many large birds of prey, the Aegypius monachus has an extremely slow life cycle. Sexual maturity is reached only between the fifth and sixth years of life, and each pair invests a great deal of energy in raising a single chick per year. If breeding fails due to human disturbance or egg loss, the pair generally does not attempt a second egg-laying in the same season, resulting in very low annual productivity.
Nests are primarily built in large, ancient trees, although in some Asian regions, rock faces are used. Nests are monumental structures built with thick branches and continually expanded year after year, reaching over two meters in height and as many in diameter. Pairs tend to reuse the same nests for many years and often own several within their territory, alternating their use.
Egg-laying generally occurs between February and March. After approximately fifty-five days of incubation, a single chick hatches, cared for by both parents. During its first days, the chick is fed food regurgitated directly into its throat; subsequently, the food is deposited in the nest in increasingly larger pieces. The young take their first flight between August and September, but remain dependent on adults for several more weeks before embarking on their first dispersal movements.
The vulture’s diet is almost exclusively scavenging. The black vulture feeds on the carcasses of large wild and domestic mammals, performing a fundamental role in the natural disposal of animal remains. Only occasionally does it capture small live prey, such as rodents, reptiles, or amphibians, and these incidents represent a minimal portion of its diet. Its digestive system is highly specialized: extremely acidic gastric juices and a particularly efficient immune system allow it to neutralize bacteria and other pathogenic microorganisms present in carcasses without suffering harm.

Ecological role –
The black vulture plays an irreplaceable role in natural ecosystems. As a specialized scavenger, it rapidly eliminates dead animal carcasses, preventing them from becoming breeding grounds for infection and contributing to the recycling of organic matter. Thanks to its ability to open the toughest hides, it also facilitates access to food for numerous other scavenger species, creating a veritable ecological network around the carcasses.
Its presence is therefore an important indicator of the health of mountain and pastoral ecosystems. Where vultures are numerous, the natural process of carcass decomposition occurs rapidly, reducing the spread of diseases among wildlife, livestock, and, indirectly, humans.
Despite some encouraging recoveries reported in Spain and France, the species remains classified as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The main threats are accidental poisoning through toxic baits intended for predators, the loss of suitable forest habitats for nesting, human disturbance, collisions with infrastructure, and the progressive reduction in carcass availability due to changes in livestock practices and health regulations. Protecting large, mature forests, limiting the use of poisons, and implementing monitoring and reintroduction programs are currently the most effective tools to ensure the future of this extraordinary bird of prey.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– C. Battisti, D. Taffon, F. Giucca, 2008. Atlas of Breeding Birds, Gangemi Editore, Rome.
– L. Svensson, K. Mullarney, D. Zetterstrom, 1999. Guide to the Birds of Europe, North Africa, and the Near East, HarperCollins Publishers, UK.

Photo source:
– https://www.freenatureimages.eu/animals/Aves,%20Vogels,%20Birds%20A-K/Aegypius%20monachos,%20Monk%20Vulture/index.html#Aegypius%20monachus%205%2C%20Monniksgier%2C%20Saxifraga-Joerg%20Mager.jpg
– https://dagworld.com/cinereous-vulture-aegypius-monachus-winter-visitor-to-the-himalayas.html#mz-expanded-view-1540454821710