Old World vulture

Old World vultures
Lappet-faced Vultures (left) and a White-backed Vulture
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Subfamily:	Aegypiinae
Genera
See text.

Old World vultures belong to the family Accipitridae. This family also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks.

Old World vultures are not closely related to New World vultures and condors. They do not share that group's good sense of smell.

Both Old World and New World vultures are scavenging birds. They feed mostly from carcasses of dead animals. Old World vultures find carcasses only by sight. Many vultures have a bald head, with no feathers. Because of how a vulture eats their head is spattered with blood and other fluids. They are able to keep clean by not having feathers on their head.

Species

Genus Aegypius

• Cinereous Vulture, Aegypius monachus

Genus Gypaetus

• Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus

Genus Gypohierax

• Palm-nut Vulture, Gypohierax angolensis

Genus Gyps

• Griffon Vulture, Gyps fulvus
• White-rumped Vulture, Gyps bengalensis
• Rüppell's Vulture, Gyps rueppelli
• Indian Vulture, Gyps indicus
• Slender-billed Vulture, Gyps tenuirostris
• Himalayan Vulture, Gyps himalayensis
• White-backed Vulture, Gyps africanus
• Cape Vulture, Gyps coprotheres

Genus Necrosyrtes

• Hooded Vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus

Genus Neophron

• Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus

Genus Sarcogyps

• Red-headed Vulture, Sarcogyps calvus

Genus Torgos

• Lappet-faced Vulture, Torgos tracheliotus

Genus Trigonoceps

• White-headed Vulture, Trigonoceps occipitalis