Griffon Vulture


The Griffon Vulture is a large vulture native to southern Europe, north Africa and parts of Asia. Unusually for vultures, the Griffons have short fluffy white heads with bare face patches rather than full bare heads.

It can be distinguished from the similar Ruppell's Griffon by lack of white edges to feathers in wing and body plumage, and from the African White-backed by the lack of white back. The adults (above left) have a soft white neck-ruff and light horn beak; the juveniles (below) have a straggly brown/beige neck ruff and dark grey/black horn beak.