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Lappet-faced Vulture
Torgos tracheliotos
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusTorgos
- SpeciesTorgos tracheliotos (Lappet-faced Vulture)
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
375 Verified sightings at Etosha National Park From 2019 to 2026
8,303 In all 34 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Lappet-faced Vulture
The lappet-faced vulture or Nubian vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) is an Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only extant member of the genus Torgos. It is not closely related to the superficially similar New World vultures, and does not share the good sense of smell of some members of that family of birds.
The lappet-faced vulture was formerly considered monotypical, but now is separated into two subspecies. The nominate race lives throughout Africa. The subspecies T. t. negevensis, differing considerably in appearance from African vultures (as described below) is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.
The scientific name is Greek, meaning "Cartilage-eared Vulture". This species is patchily distributed through much of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, though it is absent from much of the central and western parts of the continent and declining elsewhere in its range. The lappet-faced vulture breeds in Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Malawi... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Lappet-faced Vulture in Etosha National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disney's Animal Kingdom | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Diego Zoo Safari Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Kansas City Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | The Maryland Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Detroit Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | ABQ BioPark: Zoo, Aquarium, Botanic Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Gatorland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Zoo Atlanta | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Sanda Kyarimi Park Zoo | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | |
| 12 | bioparco | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 13 | Dullstroom Bird Of Prey & Rehabilitation Centre | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 14 | Les Aigles du Léman | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 15 | The Seas with Nemo & Friends | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 16 | Flauschfarm - Alpakawanderungen | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 17 | Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Closest Relatives at Etosha National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Lappet-faced Vulture in Etosha National Park?
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Lappet-faced Vulture sighting in Etosha National Park on a given day, based on 375 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 74th most-seen of the 260 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Lappet-faced Vulture in Etosha National Park?
September
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Lappet-faced Vulture in Etosha National Park on a given day, against about 10% in June and August, the lowest months. That is one of Etosha National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 75 mm in January.
What time of day is best to see a Lappet-faced Vulture?
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lappet-faced 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.
Is Etosha National Park the best place to see a Lappet-faced Vulture?
9th of 34
Of the 34 parks where we can rate Lappet-faced Vulture sightings, Etosha National Park ranks 9th at about 20%. The best odds are in Kidepo Valley National Park (Uganda, about 60%), Serengeti National Park (Tanzania, about 50%) and Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya, about 30%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the Lappet-faced Vulture live in Etosha National Park?
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Lappet-faced Vulture that you can see in Etosha National Park (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Pale Chanting Goshawk (about 50%), Tawny Eagle (about 40%) and White-backed Vulture (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Lappet-faced Vulture sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lappet-faced Vulture is recorded against all the birds logged in Etosha National Park (375 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.
