Alternative Names: Himalayan Vulture
- Gyps himalayensis
Identification
103–110 cm (40½-43¼ in)
- Body pale brownish
- Wing coverts pale buff to white
- Flight feathers and tail very dark
Similar Species
Eurasian Griffon Vulture is smaller, has shorter tail, and narrower body.
Distribution
Central Asia, mainly in the Himalayas.
Breeds in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan, north Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, Bhutan and in much of western and central China.
Resident except for limited altitudinal movement, probably some dispersal by young birds.
Taxonomy
Habitat
High plateaux and mountains up to 6,000m
Behaviour
Diet
Eats carrion
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
Immature
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Uttarakhand Himalayas, Alt. 6000 ft. above MSL, India, January 2010
Immature & Adult
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Haldwani, Himalayan Foothills, Uttarakhand India, January 2015
References
- Birdforum thread discussing id of this species
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Himalayan Griffon. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 20 September 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Himalayan_Griffon
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
