The population of the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), a threatened species, is increasing in Crete according to a new report sponsored by the Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency (NECCA). On Greece’s Red List as “critically endangered”, the Egyptian vulture is one of the most emblematic species of Greek avifauna, and its protection contributes to the wider maintenance of Greece’s biodiversity.
The study, which was carried as part of the WINGS research project of the Department of Biological Applications and Technologies of the University of Ioannina, recorded a significant increase in the observations of adult and juveniles of the species on the island, especially during the winter months.
According to a NECCA press release, “From 2015 there has been a clear tendency of some Egyptian vultures to choose Crete for overwintering, a fact which suggests possible changes in its migratory behaviour. In addition, the study followed the movements and utilisation of space of individuals of the species through field recordings and GPS telemetry, confirming that these vultures prefer to dwell in agricultural areas and open landscapes. The results of the study underline and demonstrate the need for targeted conservation actions for the species in Crete, as well as mainland Greece.”
The research, which was reported on in the scientific journal Ethology Ecology & Evolution (“Increased occurrence of Egyptian vultures in Crete: exploring movement patterns and potential for wintering”), brought together extensive field observations covering 28 winters from 1995 to 2023 and analysed telemetry data from three tracked vultures.
According to the abstract of the research paper: “Our results revealed a change in the wintering frequency of Egyptian vultures in the island with an increasing trend since 2015, especially regarding the presence of subadult and adult birds. We found an increased habitat use intensity for open landscapes and agricultural areas compared to other habitat types within Crete, emphasising the influence of food availability on space utilisation. We suggest that the interplay between climate changes, lack of experienced conspecifics and local food availability could have triggered the increasing number of wintering Egyptian vultures in Crete.”
The abstract adds: “The implications of this short-stopping behaviour extend to conservation strategies, highlighting the need for the consideration of new wintering sites and the potential threats faced by vultures during this period. We recommend the operation of supplementary feeding stations and actions to reduce the risk of electrocution to be considered as valuable conservation actions in the species’ wintering sites in Crete. Monitoring and further research are recommended to assess the long-term impact and viability of this new migration tactic, providing insights into adaptive responses to environmental change.”
The Hellenic Ornithological Society describes the species as follows: “The Egyptian vulture is the smallest of the four species of vulture which are found in Greece and in Europe. It is easily distinguished from its relatives, not only by its smaller size, but chiefly by its white plumage, the large black feathers on its wing tips, its naked orange face and the mane of white feathers around the top of its head. Although smaller than the other vultures, with shorter feet and a weaker and more slender beak, it makes up for for these disadvantages with its intelligence and dexterity.”
(Haniotika Nea 19/09/24)
Etymology of the name
The genus name is derived from Greek mythology. A young man, Neophron, upset by the discovery that his friend Aegypius was having a love affair with his (Neophron’s) mother Timandra, sought revenge by tricking him into sleeping with his own mother Bulis. On discovering the ruse, Bulis gouged out her son Aegypius’s eyes before killing herself. Aegypius prayed for revenge and Zeus, hearing his prayer, turned the two young men into vultures.
The two names were adopted as scientific nomenclature for the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and the Black vulture (Aegypius monachus). Percnopterus is derived from the Greek for “black wings” (perknos, “blue-black” and pteron, “wing”). Monachus means “monk”, and “monk vulture” is an alternative name in English and the equivalent name in Dutch, German French and Portuguese. The common name for vulture in modern Greek, gypas, clearly derives from the same source, posing questions about the links between mythology and language – was the bird named after the man or the man after the bird?
The LIFE conservation project
Another conservation project, the LIFE Egyptian vulture project was recently carried out in southern Italy and in the Canary Islands. Aimed at increasing the local populations it included live-breeding as well as setting up feeding stations, insulation of power lines to prevent electrocution and other measures. The report of the finished project can be downloaded at: https://www.lifegyptianvulture.it/en/uncategorized/the-life-egyptian-vulture-project-an-informative-report-on-actions-and-results-is-now-available/
The LIFE website includes the following note about the Egyptian vulture in ancient history:
“The Egyptian vulture appeared in the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt and was the symbol for the letter ‘A’. Sacred and protected by the Pharaohs, it was known as the ‘Pharaoh’s chicken’ – whoever dared to kill an Egyptian vulture would be sentenced to death.
“The Egyptians believed that vultures were all females and that they were born without the intervention of males – a phenomenon which today we call parthenogenesis. This is why vultures symbolised purity and motherhood, but also the eternal cycle of death and rebirth for their ability to transform the “death” they feed on – i.e. carrion and waste – into life distinguished by an incomparable elegance in flight.”
(https://www.lifegyptianvulture.it/en/)