Gyps Vultures

The entire study was carried out by observing the birds
(White-backed, Long-billed and Slender-billed Vulture) in the
three Colony aviaries (CA) (100x40x20 ft) through the CCTV
(Close Circuit Television camera) monitors. During the study
attempt was made to determine the feeding hierarchy among
vultures, food consumption by individual vultures and time
taken for it. In the CA-2 birds (WBV) start feeding almost as
soon as the food was provided (within 15 minutes) and they
fed throughout the day. In CA-3(SBV) birds came on an
average 23.16 hrs after food was provided but majority of
them finished within an hrs. In CA-1 (LBV) birds also took
more than 24 hrs to starts feeding after the food was
provided.
A vulture is fed 3 kilos of goat meat in a week which is
equivalent to consuming 5% of its body weight per day. WBV
with nestlings of different age groups were observed for
studying the role of sexes in feeding the nestlings. On an
average, the parents fed the nestling for 6.4 times, when
nestling was less than 30 days. Male however feed the
nestling during mornings and female during evenings. The
feeding frequency decreased with the growth of the nestling.
Key words: Colony Aviary, Vulture, CCTV, Feeding ecology

A state-wide survey of the Critically Endangered White-backed Vulture
Gyps bengalensis
and Long-billed or IndianVulture
Gyps indicus
in the 26 districts of Gujarat was undertaken from May 29–30, 2010. The survey was carried outthroughout the state by hundreds of volunteers and personnel of the State Forest Department to determine thepopulation of the two
Gyps
vulture species in all the districts and regions of the state, and to assess changes in theirpopulations through comparison with the earlier surveys done in 2005 and 2007. Total count method was used, and thecounts were made at resting, roosting, feeding, and nesting sites to assess the population size, number of young birds,and the nest-tree availability. The survey resulted in an estimated population of 793 White-backed Vulture (WBV) and265 Long-billed Vulture (LBV); the identity of 7 individuals was uncertain. When compared with the earlier surveys, itrevealed that there has been a 62.9% decrease (-1,342 individuals) in the population of WBV and 29.5% reduction(-111 individuals) in the population of LBV within a time span of 5 years.

OBSERVATIONS OF GRIFFON VULTURE IN VENETO (IT) IN 2019
During 2019, griffon vultures were reported in Veneto 17 times, which represents the highest number of observations in one year, exceeding last year record of 11 observations. These data come from the provinces where the species is most often reported: Belluno, Treviso, Vicenza and Verona. Individuals have been regularly seen in Veneto every year since 2003, but the positive increasing trend started in 2015.

On 05 August 2008 a villager witnessed a large raptorial bird descending from the sky and landing on the ground, in an open field at Bhangaon Village, Shrigonda Taluk (18061'N & 74069'E), Pune District, Maharashtra, India. The bird looked exhausted and was unable to fly. When approached it assumed a drooping neck posture. The raptor was caught and was handed over to the forest department at Shrigonda. This is a semi-arid region on the Deccan Plateau interspersed with agricultural cropland, scrub areas and villages.

On 05 August 2008 a villager witnessed a large raptorial bird descending from the sky and landing on the ground, in an open field at Bhangaon Village, Shrigonda Taluk (18 0 61'N & 74 0 69'E), Pune District, Maharashtra, India. The bird looked exhausted and was unable to fly. When approached it assumed a drooping neck posture. The raptor was caught and was handed over to the forest department at Shrigonda. This is a semi-arid region on the Deccan Plateau interspersed with agricultural cropland, scrub areas and villages. This bird was identified as the Critically Endangered Oriental White-backed Vulture Gyps bengalensis.