Recognising the Six Vulture Species of South Africa

Last updated: 14 July 2026

Why do Vultures matter?

Vultures play a critical role in maintaining the balance of our environment. They are nature's cleanup crew, removing carcasses from the landscape faster than any other scavenger, and in doing so they limit the spread of disease that could affect both humans and animals. They are obligate scavengers, birds that have evolved to feed almost exclusively on carrion, and they function as highly specialised ecological service providers. Across Africa, they are the only scavengers that feed communally in such large numbers. Each species occupies a distinct feeding niche within the Vulture guild.
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In South Africa, and particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, the landscape is a complex mosaic of protected areas, communal grazing land, commercial agriculture, and rural communities. A large proportion of the population is directly reliant on natural resources and subsistence livestock farming. Vultures provide sanitation services across all of these land uses. Their decline has consequences that extend beyond biodiversity into public health and rural livelihoods.
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What threats do vultures face in South Africa?

Vultures in South Africa face five compounding threats, and poisoning is the most damaging of them. Because Vultures feed communally, a single laced carcass can kill 50 or more birds in one event. Poisoning has driven an estimated 70 to 80% decline in Vulture breeding pairs in northern KwaZulu-Natal since 2004. Alongside it sit collisions and electrocutions on energy infrastructure, the loss of mature nesting trees, disturbance at cliff nesting sites, and the illegal trade in Vulture parts for traditional medicine, which drives much of the deliberate poisoning.

What makes these threats so serious is the biology of the birds themselves. Vultures mature late and live long, and they raise very few young. Populations cannot recover quickly from the loss of breeding adults, so a single poisoning event can set a local cluster back by decades. Protecting adult survival is therefore the most important conservation priority for every Vulture species in the region. The sections that follow set out each threat in turn, with the evidence recorded in the field by Wildlife ACT monitoring teams.
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Introducing the Vulture Species of South Africa:

All six Vulture species found in South Africa are currently listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.‍

White-Headed Vulture  (Trigonoceps occipitalis)

‍Common name: White-headed Vulture
Zulu name: iNqe Emakhanda Elimhlophe
Afrikaans: Witkopaasvoël

‍IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered

Estimated Breeding Pairs in South Africa: 80-100

*no nests recorded in KZN since 2017

The White-Headed Vulture is a distinctive Vulture species, with their white heads and pink necks contrasting against their dark, feathered bodies. They are roughly 78–82 cm tall with a wingspan of over two metres, weighing approximately 3.3 to 5.3kg.

The White-headed Vulture is typically found alone or in monogamous pairs. It tends to fly lower than other species and is often the first to arrive at a carcass. Most nests are found in Acacia trees and one egg is laid at a time, however 61% of pairs do not breed every year due to still having a dependent chick from the previous year. This extremely low annual productivity makes the species highly vulnerable to any adult mortality.

In 2000, White-headed Vultures were listed as Vulnerable in the Red Data Book. In 2015, their status was uplifted to ‘Critically Endangered’, which was maintained upon the most recent assessment. In 2021, following focused nest surveys conducted across KwaZulu-Natal by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Wildlife ACT, the White-headed Vulture was confirmed to be regionally extinct as a breeding species in the province. No active nests have been recorded since 2017. This represents a complete loss of a species from the province's ecological network within a remarkably short timeframe.

Hooded Vulture  (Necrosyrtes monachus)

Common name: Hooded Vulture
Afrikaans: Monnikaasvoël

‍IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered

Estimated Breeding Pairs in South Africa: 50-100

The Hooded Vulture is aptly named for the distinctive black hood of feathers that covers their head and neck. Their dark plumage contrasts with its pale, featherless face, which is specifically adapted for its feeding habits.

This relatively small Vulture generally weighs between 1.5 to 2.6kg and has a wingspan of around 160cm. Due to their smaller size, Hooded Vultures are able to rise on thermal currents easily which often makes them among the first arrivals at nearby carcasses. The Hooded Vulture cannot compete with larger Vultures at carcasses, it typically picks at scraps on the periphery, accessing food after larger species have fed. The species is found in open grassland, savanna, forest edge, and along coastlines, and is also associated with human settlements.

Hooded Vultures form monogamous pairs, with one egg laid per breeding season and an incubation period of 48-54 days. Chicks are dependent for around the first seven months of their lives.

‍African White-Backed Vulture  (Gyps africanus)

Common name: African White-backed Vulture
Zulu name: iNqe Elimhlophe Emhlane
Afrikaans: Witrugaasvoël

IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered

Estimated Breeding Pairs in South Africa: 4000

African White-Backed Vultures are medium in size, standing at around 94cm high and weighing between 4-7kg. They are light brown to cream in colour with juveniles being a slightly darker and deeper brown. 

These Vultures are tree-dwellers, most commonly found in open wooded savanna and bushveld. They are scavengers of carrion and aggressive feeders, but will also hunt when the need arises. 

When it comes to breeding, White-Backed Vultures are predominantly monogamous and will often nest in small colonies in scattered trees a few hundred metres apart. One egg is laid and will hatch after a period of roughly 58 days, following which, both parents care for the chick for up to six months. 

Lappet-Faced Vulture  (Torgos tracheliotos)

Common name: Lappet-faced Vulture
Zulu name: iNqe
Afrikaans: Swartaasvoël

‍IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered

Estimated Breeding Pairs in South Africa: 180

*only 2-6 nests in KZN

Weighing in at up to 8.5kg and standing at 115cm tall, the Lappet-Faced Vulture is the largest and most powerful of the Vulture species of South Africa. Although they are often outnumbered by smaller species such as the African White Backed Vulture, they are the most dominant at a carcass during feeding. 

The Lappet-Faced Vulture has a wingspan of between 2.5-2.9m, making it unmissable when soaring above. This species is notable for its reddish-coloured neck and bald head, as well as its dark-coloured feathers. 

The Lappet-Faced Vulture lives either in solitude or in monogamous pairs and will breed once a year. Females become sexually mature at around six years of age and will typically only lay one egg per breeding season. Following an incubation period of around 55 days, chicks will remain dependent on parents until they are 5-6 months old. 

In KwaZulu-Natal, the situation is particularly dire, the species has been reduced from approximately 15 active nests in 2020 to just 2–6 nests in recent years, and without targeted intervention, faces local extinction in the province.
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Cape Vulture  (Gyps coprotheres)

Common name: Cape Vulture
Zulu name: iNqe Yasekoloni
Afrikaans: Kransaasvoël

‍IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable

Estimated Breeding Pairs in South Africa: 4500

The Cape Vulture is southern Africa’s only endemic Vulture species. These Vultures formerly bred in Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Namibia, but are now extinct in Swaziland, with only small, non-breeding populations remaining in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

This species has a fairly large wingspan of up to 2.6m and typically weighs from 7 to 11 kg. They are distinguished by their bare blue-coloured necks and cream-coloured plumage with dark brown feathers. 

Cape Vultures have a potential lifespan of over 30 years. They are cliff dwellers and live in colonies with large, extended families. They are monogamous breeders and lay one egg per breeding season. It is estimated that there are 4,500 breeding pairs remaining in southern Africa, with about 20% of the total population residing in the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains.

The Cape Vulture is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Despite being the least critically threatened of South Africa's Vulture species by global status, the species faces ongoing and serious population pressures. Threats include poisoning, power line collisions and electrocution, habitat loss and disturbance at breeding cliffs, and slow reproductive rate limiting recovery.
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Bearded Vulture  (Gypaetus barbatus)

Common names: Bearded Vulture, Lammergeier, Ossifrage
Zulu name: uKhozilwentshebe
Afrikaans: Baardaasvoël

IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered

Estimated Breeding Pairs in South Africa: 50 to 100 breeding pairs in South Africa and Lesotho

The Bearded Vulture has experienced a drastic decline during the past century, which has resulted in an isolated population restricted to the Maloti-Drakensberg mountain range. Interestingly, they are the only known vertebrate with a diet that consists of almost just bone. 

With adults weighing in at 6kgs, a wingspan of 2.6 metres, striking plumage, red eyes and long, diamond-shaped tails, it is easy to see how these beautiful birds acquired the name 'Monarchs of the Mountains'.

Bearded Vultures are cliff nesters, opting for rocky ledges. They lay one or two eggs during winter, with hatchlings being dependent on the parents for up to two years. 

Unlike most Vultures, the Bearded Vulture does not have a bald head, making it better equipped for cooler climates. This bird is a spectacular sight in its own right, as well as a vital component of the environment, performing an essential ecological role as a scavenger.

The Bearded Vulture is classified as Regionally Critically Endangered in Southern Africa. With only 50–100 breeding pairs remaining across South Africa and Lesotho, this population is critically small. The population has suffered a recorded 27% or greater decline in breeding territory over recent decades.
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Support Vultures of South Africa

Please help to support the critical work being done to protect the Vulture species of South Africa.

Donate via GivenGain, or use the form below to give directly by debit or credit card.

Volunteer with vultures: Join our award-winning Southern Drakensberg Conservation Program and work in the spectacular Maloti-Drakensberg Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

To learn more about how to get involved, please contact Wildlife ACT’s Vulture Programme Manager on anel@wildlifeact.com.