The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has revealed a significant nesting activity of the endangered Egyptian Vulture within the reserve’s natural habitats.
Known as Neophron percnopterus, the Egyptian bird is globally classified as endangered and belongs to the family of diurnal birds of prey.
Interestingly, the Egyptian Vulture holds an important ecological importance as a resident breeding species, a migratory passerby, and a rare winter visitor.
Furthermore, the bird has an exceptional ability to detect prey from great distances and can travel up to 80 kilometers daily in search of food.
This rare bird lives in open habitats, arid regions, and rocky cliffs, basically feeding on carrion or weakened animals.
As a critical stopover for the species during autumn and spring migrations, the reserve boasts more than 25 individuals recorded during these seasons.
It measures roughly 62cm in length with a wingspan of up to 155cm. Moreover, it prefers dry, remote areas including cliffs and rocky outcrops for breeding.
The Authority unveiled that this species has declined sharply on the global and regional levels, with its population in the Arabian Peninsula decreasing by an estimated 90 percent over the past 50 years. This decline was driven by poisoning, collision with power lines, loss of habitat, and human disturbances.
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