Vultures are often underappreciated birds, and while there may be only 23 vulture species in the world, each one of them fills a vital ecological niche to clean up carrion and prevent the spread of diseases from rotting carcasses. Unfortunately, 14 of the species – more than half – are considered threatened or endangered, and their populations will continue to decline without urgent help. How many vulture species can you name?
Alphaetical List of Vulture Species
Sorted by Common Name
* - Considered threatened or vulnerable due to population decreases and growing survival threats
** - Listed as endangered and in critical danger of extinction if conservation is not implemented (Classifications by BirdLife International)
- *Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)
- Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
- **California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus)
- *Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres)
- *Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
- **Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
- Greater Yellow-Headed Vulture (Cathartes melambrotus)
- Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)
- Himalayan Vulture (Gyps himalayensis)
- **Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)
- **Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus)
- King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa)
- Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) (Gypaetus barbatus)
- *Lappet-Faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus)
- Lesser Yellow-Headed Vulture (Cathartes burrovianus)
- Palm-Nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis)
- **Red-Headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)
- **Rüppell's Vulture (Gyps rueppelli)
- **Slender-Billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)
- Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
- **White-Backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)
- *White-Headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)
- **White-Rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
Photo – Lappet-Faced Vulture © Lip Kee Yap
