PROPERTY SEARCH
PROPERTY SEARCH
ARCHIVED - Black vulture population recovers in Spain
Following years of decline, breeding pairs have been located in Andalucía and throughout Spain
After years of population decline, mostly resulting from a rule requiring farmers to remove carrion from their land, thus reducing an essential food source, the black vulture is making a comeback throughout Spain. It is the largest bird of prey in Europe and one of the biggest birds on the planet, but despite this, the vulture is included in the IUCN World Red List of Threatened Species and is classed as vulnerable in Spain.
The black vulture finds its most accommodating habitat in the forest regions of Spain, and its population has been expanding over the last few years throughout Extremadura, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Andalucía, Madrid and Mallorca. Around 1,300 breeding pairs of the 1,700 registered in Europe now call Spain their home.
This bird is a giant and dwarfs the more well-known griffon vulture, with a wingspan of almost three metres. Adults are very dark brown in colour, despite their name, and sport a ruff of feathers around the neck. Their heads are covered with a short greyish-brown down and the base of the vulture’s huge bill is a blue colour.
The most headway in terms of population conservation has been made in Castilla y Leon, where 585 breeding pairs and 21 separate breeding colonies were located during the 2020 census, which indicates an evolution that is “clearly positive” and promises that the future of the black vulture in Spain is “favourable”.
Image: SEO BirdLife
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
Contact Spanish News Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268
