Dave Taylor's African Safari: Scavengers and Decomposers - Lappet-faced Vulture

Scavengers and Decomposers
Lappet-faced Vulture
Page 7

Aegypius tracheliotus

Length: 100 cm (39")

Habitat: Lappet-faced vultures are found in semi-arid scrub deserts, savannas and thorn scrub regions of Africa. They live up to an altitude of 3 000 meters (9,840 feet).

Status: Common

Social System/Behavior: Unlike the more frequently seen Griffon vultures, which nest in colonies, the lappet-faced vulture is a solitary nester. The pair build a massive nest of sticks, up to 3 meters (10 feet) wide. The nest is built on top of a tree. The same nest will be used for several years. The lappet-faced vulture lays only a single egg. The breeding season lasts from September to April.

Pairs nest in what might be considered a loose colony. Nests are usually 1 kilometer (.6 miles) apart. They are just within sight of each other.

This is the strongest and most dominant vulture at a kill. The beak is strong and this species is capable of opening up a carcass. If an animal dies of disease or accident (as opposed to being killed by a predator), other less powerful vultures will have to wait for a scavenger to appear that can open the carcass up. Sometimes that animal will be a jackal or hyena. However, as noted before, in the Serengeti-Mara there are just not enough mammalian carnivores to fill this role. Sometimes the job of first opening a corpse falls to the lappet-faced vulture.

Since there are fewer lappet-faced vultures in the ecosystem, they often locate the carcass by watching other vultures come in for a landing. A descending Griffon vulture usually means that food has been found.

Unlike other vultures, the lappet-faced does not need to rely solely on finding a carcass. It can kill its own food. It will fly into a flock of flamingoes and snatch an adult or young one. It will also snap up locust and termites. There is some evidence that it may also kill hares and gazelle calves.

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