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It's that time of the year again when Europe's only long-distance migratory vulture, the Egyptian Vulture, embarks on its long migration journey!
Every year, adult and young birds leave their breeding and hatching places in autumn, travelling from Europe to Africa. Young birds then usually stay in Africa for at least 18 months (sometimes longer) before returning to their natal origins in Europe in the spring, and starting their annual cycle of migration to Africa in the autumn and back to Europe in the spring. After five or six years they reach sexual maturity and try to establish their own territory and form a breeding pair, often not far from where they hatched themselves. Although most Egyptian Vultures in Europe migrate, there are a few exceptions - some birds stay in Europe all year round. For example, the resident Menorca population, some individuals regularly wintering in Extremadura, and elsewhere, like the Italian Egyptian Vulture Diego that remained in Italy last year instead of migrating.
We here at the Vulture Conservation Foundation follow the movements of several Egyptian Vultures as part of different projects. From late August, several of our Egyptian Vultures equipped with GPS tags already started heading south, signalling the start of the species autumn migration! You can keep track of the migratory birds by following our Egyptian Vulture online maps.
You can track the movements of the other European vulture species we tagged within our different projects and regions by visiting our online public maps.
Bearded Vulture online maps
Cinereous Vulture online maps
Griffon Vulture online maps
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