Gyps tenuirostris
Silhouette: Shyamal · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) is an Old World vulture species native to sub-Himalayan regions and Southeast Asia. It is Critically Endangered since 2002 as the population on the Indian subcontinent has declined rapidly. As of 2021, fewer than 870 mature individuals are thought to remain.
It used to be the Indian vulture, under the name of "long-billed vulture". However, these two species have non-overlapping distribution ranges and can be immediately told apart by trained observers, even at considerable distances. The Indian vulture is found only to the south of the Ganges and breeds on cliffs while the slender-billed vulture is found along and nests in trees.
At 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in), in length, this mid-sized vulture is about the same size as its sister species, the Indian vulture. The wingspan of the vulture ranges from 196 to 258 cm (77 to 102 in). The slender-billed vulture is commonly mistaken for the Indian vulture, but there are a few key differences that differentiate the two species, primarily its darker head, and bill that is thinner than its sister species. This vulture is mostly grey with a pale rump and grey under-tail coverts. The... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Slender-billed Vulture sighting in Chitwan National Park on a given day, based on 102 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 162nd most-seen of the 367 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May, July–August and November–March
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Slender-billed Vulture in Chitwan National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, June and September–October, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Slender-billed Vulture sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Slender-billed Vulture sightings, Chitwan National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Kaziranga National Park (India, about 30%).
Same genus: Gyps
The closest relatives of the Slender-billed Vulture that you can see in Chitwan National Park (genus Gyps, Griffon Vultures) are Indian White-rumped Vulture (about 10%) and Himalayan Vulture (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Slender-billed Vulture is recorded against all the birds logged in Chitwan National Park (102 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
