White-headed Vulture

Trigonoceps occipitalis

Often first to a carcass, before larger vultures arrive. Listed as Critically Endangered.

Population: ~5,500 individuals total (roughly 2,500–9,999 mature individuals), declining rapidly (median ~6.7%/year, an estimated 88% decline over three generations)
Habitat: Dry, open woodlands and savanna at low altitudes, especially thorny Acacia-dominated landscapes (locally up to 4,000 m in Ethiopia); avoids closed forest and human settlement
Fun fact: The white-headed vulture is the only vulture species with visibly sexually dimorphic plumage (males have dark grey secondaries, females white), and it has an unusually wide binocular visual field that may support hunting live prey rather than pure scavenging.
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa across ~37 range states, from Senegal/Guinea-Bissau/Gambia east to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, south to South Africa and Eswatini
Diet: Mainly carrion, often feeding lower on carcasses and earlier than other vultures; also opportunistically hunts or scavenges small live prey such as hares, mongooses, lizards, and flamingos
Size: 0.8 m
Wingspan: 2.2 m
Lifespan: 20 years

More Vultures & Condors