Conservation status
Black vulture is classified as Near Threatened (NT) in the IUCN Red List.
Biology and ecology
Staffan Widstrand / Rewilding Europe
Black vulture is a resident species that forages over many kinds of open terrain including forest, open grasslands and bare mountains. Black vulture selects its nesting habitat in undisturbed areas, in mature vegetation patches. Nests are built in trees, often aggregated in loose colonies or nuclei. Its diet consists mainly of carrion from medium-sized or large mammal carcasses. Black vulture searches for food either in groups or individually, sometimes joining the Griffon vulture groups.
Markus Varesvuo / Wild Wonders of Europe
It lays its eggs during the December-January period depending on the climate peculiarities of the season. The young birds are hatched in February or March and are not leaving the nest untill the end of July or August. The nests form a loose colonies. In Dadia Forest, in the Greek part of the Easthern Rhodopes, the Black vulture lays its unique egg during mid-January – mid March period depending on the climate peculiarities of the year. The young birds are hatched in end April-beginning of May period and are not leaving the nest until the mid – end August. The Black vultures build their nests on very mature pine-trees located on extremely steep slopes or gullies.
Markus Varesvuo / Wild Wonders of Europe
Usually there is a rock or big tree to it used for a close scrutiny of the whole region.The young birds stay with their parents and live in families until they reach maturity. Occasionally they do far-reached wandering migrations and reach maturity on their sixth year.
Threats
Poisoning after illegal use of poison baits targeted at large carnivores (e.g. wolves, jackals) to protect livestock and game
Lead poisoning by hunting ammunition, effect of veterinary drug contamination
Reduced food availability
Direct persecution
Electrocution end collision caused by electric transfer networks or collision at wind mills