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A lappet-faced vulture with a bare pink head and dark brown feathers standing in grass.
Photo: Yathin sk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lappet-Faced Vulture

Torgos tracheliotos

Africa's largest vulture, an endangered scavenger whose strong beak opens carcasses for other vultures.

🦅 Birds of Prey
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About the Lappet-Faced Vulture

Lappet-faced vultures live in deserts and dry grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. They are the largest vultures in Africa. At a carcass they often arrive first and use their strong beaks to break through tough hide. Vultures find food by smell and by watching for other vultures circling overhead.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Torgos tracheliotos[1]
Lifespan
Up to 50 years.[1]
Diet
Scavenger. Carcasses, plus sometimes small animals or eggs.[1]
Habitat
Deserts, dry grasslands and sparsely wooded grasslands.[1]
Where it lives
Sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.[1]
Group life
Pairs stay together for several years.[1]
Babies
One egg in a loose stick nest on a cliff or tree.[1]
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]

Fun facts

  • Lappet-faced vultures are the largest vultures in Africa.[1]
  • Vultures spread their wings to soak up morning sun, like solar panels.[1]
  • Vultures find dead animals by smell as well as sight.[1]

Vocabulary

scavenger
An animal that feeds on dead animals or leftover food.
bask
To lie or perch in the sun to warm up.
thermal
A rising column of warm air that birds use to gain height.
metabolism
How fast the body uses energy.
endangered
A conservation label meaning a species faces a very high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Zoo Atlanta. “Lappet-faced Vulture.” https://zooatlanta.org/animal/lappet-faced-vulture/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Torgos tracheliotos (Lappet-faced Vulture).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22695238/155542069 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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