Cape Vulture / Cape Griffon

Afrikaans name: Kransaasvoël

Cape Vulture

Photo © Steven Herbert

Gyps coprotheres

The Cape Vulture is a large bird that can have a wingspan of 2.5 metres or more. It is endemic to the southern Africa region and is most common in South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana.

The number of breeding pairs drops each year which has caused the IUCN to set its status as Endangered. There are numerous reasons for its decline including poisoning, habitat loss, use of body parts in traditional medicine and less farm livestock dying because of modern farming practices.

The Cape Vulture breeds and roosts on cliffs but during the day they often travel large distances in search of food. As with many species of vulture they have excellent eye-sight and keep a lookout for carcasses on the ground plus the behaviour of other distant vultures to see if they have located food.

They nest in colonies on cliff faces. The female is normally responsible for making the nest which is mainly made of sticks, twigs and grass. Although two eggs are sometimes laid it is most common that she only lays one. Both parents feed the chick which can take around 5 months before being ready to leave the nest.

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	106	Gyps coprotheres
2nd	106	Gyps coprotheres
3rd	106	Gyps coprotheres
4th	106	Gyps coprotheres
5th	122	Gyps coprotheres
6th	122	Gyps coprotheres
7th	357	Gyps coprotheres

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	106	Cape Vulture
2nd	106	Cape Vulture
3rd	106	Cape Vulture
4th	106	Cape Vulture
5th	122	Cape Vulture
6th	122	Cape Vulture
7th	357	Cape Vulture

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	106	Gewone Aasvoël
2nd	106	Gewone Aasvoël
3rd	106	Krans-aasvoël
4th	106	Krans-aasvoël
5th	122	Kransaasvoël
6th	122	Kransaasvoël
7th	357	Kransaasvoël

References and further reading

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 52

The Vultures of Africa - Author: Mundy, Butchart, Ledger and Piper - Published: 1992 - Page: 72

The Overberg Explorer - 2nd edition - Author: Ann & Mike Scott - Published: 2001 - Page: 47

The Status & Conservation of Birds of Prey in the Transvaal - Author: W. Tarboton and D. Allan - Published: 1984 - Page: 13

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 7

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 40

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 149

Southern Africas Threatened Wildlife - Author: John Ledger - Published: 1990 - Page: 46

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 148

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 67

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 82

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 86

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 104

Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands - Author: Alan and Meg Kemp - Published: 1998 - Page: 34

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 108

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 79

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 71

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 146

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 55

Rare Birds of the World - Author: Guy Mountford & Norman Arlott - Published: 1988 - Page: 107

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 152

Questions and Answers - Endangered Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: John Comrie-Greig - Published: 1992 - Page: 18

Meeting with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1986 - Page: 38

Nature in the Balance - Author: Rob Marsh - Published: 1991 - Page: 23

Nature in the Balance - Author: Rob Marsh - Published: 1991 - Page: 25

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 152

Ian Sinclairs Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 70

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 409

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 48

Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind - Author: B. Hilton-Barber & Prof. L. R. Berger - Published: 2004 - Page: 178

Getaway - Vol 29 No 06 - Author: - Published: 2017 - Page: 18

Field Guide to Fynbos Fauna - Author: Cliff & Suretha Dorse - Published: 2023 - Page: 140

Everyones Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 74

Eagles, Hawks & Falcons of the World - Author: Leslie Brown and Dean Amadon - Published: 1989 - Page: 329

Country Life - Issue 277 - Author: - Published: 2019 - Page: 64

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 42

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 20

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 38

Birds of Prey of the World - Author: Friedhelm Weick - Published: 1980 - Page: 78

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 46

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Published: 1992 - Page: 14

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 60

Birds of Prey of Southern Africa - Author: Peter Steyn - Published: 1985 - Page: 21

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Published: 1987 - Page: 62

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 62

African Wildlife - Vol 37 No 1 - Author: - Published: 1983 - Page: 39

African Wildlife - Vol 37 No 1 - Author: - Published: 1983 - Page: 40

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 137

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 137

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 58

BirdLife South Africa

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