The previous breeding season of Bearded Vultures in captivity only finished a couple of months ago, and it seems the birds are already getting into the mood for the next one! 

In the image above, you can see the gorgeous pair BG 108x175. On 27 September, the pair performed an unsuccessful copulation attempt, signalling the start of the new breeding season for the species in captivity! These vultures have been parents in the past and reside at the Richard Faust Bearded Vulture Specialised Captive Breeding Centre in Austria that hosts the most birds out of any other facility within the Bearded Vulture Captive Breeding Network (EEP).

During the beginning of the breeding season, human keepers need to provide the necessary nesting material to pairs and constantly monitor their progress.

We hope the 2020/21 breeding season will be a fruitful one, allowing for several releases of birds into the wild! 

Pair in Austria signals the start of the new breeding season of Bearded Vultures in captivity

A recently published study illustrates that although vultures can carry microorganisms that can cause disease in humans, there is no evidence that they spread these to humans and other species, but more likely limit the spread of diseases. However, further research is required to fully evaluate the role of vultures in disease transmission, as scientific evidence is still limited. 

Research review: study finds no clear evidence that vultures spread microorganisms to humans and other species, but more likely reduce disease transmission