Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) and White-backed Vultures (Gyps africanus)- 5 July 2013. Tarangire National Park, Manyara Region, Tanzania.

The smaller Hooded Vulture is on the left. White-backed was by-far the most common Vulture throughout our visit to Northern Tanzania. This species is highly variable with younger birds whiter on the head than adults. Here the bird on the far right is a juvenile White-backed. The white back for which this species is named does not start to appear until the fourth year and is not complete until the sixth year. This patch of white is only visible when their wings are spread. The dark bill helps distinguish this species from Rueppell's Griffon (G. rueppellii).

Although still locally common, its status was upgraded from "near threatened" to "endangered" in the 2012 IUCN Red Data List. Causes for its decline are similar to those for the Hooded Vulture. Some sources call this bird African White-backed Vulture.

Nikon P510 Coolpix P&S
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