Habitat : Vagrant population with most recent sightings in North Western Namibia and Transkei interior.

Identification : Whitish, with long blue neck and yellow eyes. Pale underwing in flight with dark spots along underwing coverts.

Identification : Black and white plumage with red head and neck, blue and pink beak. Shows a white line between covert and flight feathers in flight.

Scavengers best describe these large raptors, cleaners of the veld. They circle high in the sky on long broad wings, designed for soaring, from which vantage point they spot kills and abandoned carcasses off which they feed. There are eight species which occur in the southern Africa region.(family Accipitridae)

Habitat : Resident restricted to Lesotho and surrounding regions and frequents mountain grassland areas. Is a locally threatened species due to poisoning.

Identification : Black back, reddish brown underparts, black mask and beard. Long narrow wings and diamond shaped tail in flight.

Breeding : Winter. Large nest on cliffs which is lined with wool. One to two large lightly marked eggs, hatching after two months and fledglings leave nest at 18 weeks.

Identification : Black primaries with wedge shaped tail.

Breeding : not available.

Size : 95cm with wingspan 215 to 225cm

Breeding : Winter. Nests built in small colonies in tops of tall trees. One white or lightly blotched egg is layed hatching after two months. Fledgling at 19 weeks.

Diet : Carrion. Known to kill small mammals.

Breeding : Winter. Nest built on top of tall tree. One plain white egg is layed hatching after two months. Fledgling at 16 weeks.

Size : 100 to 120cm with wingspan 225cm

Breeding : Winter. Nests in colonies on tall cliffs. One plain white egg is layed hatching after two months. Fledgling at 20 weeks.

eagles

kites

owls

buzzards

hawks

harriers

falcons/kestrels/hobbys

one of a kind

back to raptor files

Size : 110cm with wingspan 250 to 280cm

Size : 62cm with wingspan 160cm to180cm

Identification : Whitish, with a long naked black neck. When soaring shows black flight feathers with white underwing coverts and lower back.

Diet : Carrion. Usually feeds in flocks.

Habitat : A fairly common resident found in
savanna regions. Numbers have decreased due
to poisoning. Is usually found in flocks at carcasses.

Diet : Carrion. Usually feeds in flocks.

Diet : Carrion and bones. Drops bones from height onto rocks to break into smaller pieces.

Size : 80cm with wingspan 200 to 230cm

Habitat : Uncommon resident in savanna regions that has decreased in many areas due to poisoning and is locally threatened .

Habitat : Found mainly in savanna, grassland and
fynbos. Resident and fairly common in Lesotho, parts of Eastern South Africa and Botswana. Endemic to this region and has decreased and is threatened due to poisoning.

Diet : Carrion and Ostrich eggs. Drops stones onto eggs to break them open.

V U L T U R E S

Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus)

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)

Whitebacked Vulture (Gyps africanus)

Whiteheaded Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)

Cape Vulture (Gyps corprotheres)