Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) in flight by Dick Hoogenboom

An adult vulture is 95 to 110 cm long, measured from head to tail. Its wingspan is 2.4–2.8 metres. An adult specimen weighs between 6.0 and 11 kilograms, making it one of the largest flying birds in the world. Unlike eagles, its head appears small and is tilted downwards in flight.

The griffon vulture is sand-coloured to dark brown in colour; its head and neck are white, as is the collar between the neck and body. The flight feathers (the ‘bearing’ feathers on the wings used for flight) and the tail feathers are darker to black. Juveniles have a brown collar and are darker in colour.

The wings are long and broad; in flight, the wing feathers are somewhat reminiscent of fingers. The legs are relatively short.

Lifestyle
The griffon vulture usually lays only one egg per year. The egg is incubated by both parents and the chick remains in the nest for up to half a year. A breeding pair is monogamous and stays together for life. The griffon vulture is a social species; the bird breeds in colonies and hunts in groups. The nests are situated at least two metres apart and are fiercely defended by the parents. The griffon vulture can also be tamed; there is a known example of a captive bird that reached the age of 37 years.

With its enormous wings, the vulture covers great distances, and although the birds usually glide and appear to fly slowly, they can reach speeds of over 70 kilometres per hour and cover hundreds of kilometres a day. The griffon vulture soars on the sun-warmed rising air currents, flapping its wings as little as possible to conserve energy.