The African White-Backed Vulture is
a large old world vulture found in
sub-saharan Africa. In 2007 it was
re-classified as Near Threatened
following several years of increasing
population decline. It is a tree-nesting
vulture that breeds in loose colonies
and is most often associated with
wooded savannas and has a marked
preference for Acacia trees. The adult
has a black head and neck with a white
ruff. They have a brown back with a
white rump and tail. White-Backed
Vultures feed mainly on large game and
it is not uncommon to find over 100 birds
feeding together, stripping a carcass to
the bone in a matter of hours. They nest
in tall trees with sometimes upto 6 nests
per tree. During the dry season one egg is
laid and incubated for around 43 days.
The mother stays with the chick until it
leaves the nest, with the father being
responsible for feeding the entire family.
