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White-backed Vulture
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Gyps
Species:africanus
Binomial name
Gyps africanus
Salvadori, 1865

The White-backed Vulture, Gyps africanus, is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is closely related to the European Griffon Vulture, G. fulvus.

It breeds in trees on the savannah of west and east AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. 30,244,050 km2 (11,677,240 mi2) including the islands, it covers 20. 3% of the total land area on Earth, and with over 800 million human inhabitants it accounts for ar, laying one egg. The population is mostly resident.

Like other vultureNubian Vulture Vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. Vultures are found in almost every continent. A particular characteristic of many vultures is a bald head, devoid of feathers. This is likely because a feathereds it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over savannah and around human habitation. It often moves in flocks.

The White-backed Vulture is a typical vulture, with a bald head, very broad wings and short tail. It has a white neck ruff. The adult’s whitish back contrasts with the otherwise dark plumage. Juveniles are largely dark.



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