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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 ~70% in a week >90%
1,288 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
8,303 In all 34 parks
August 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 Masai Mara National Reserve
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 Masai Mara National Reserve
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Lappet-faced Vulture in Masai Mara National Reserve?
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Lappet-faced Vulture sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve on a given day, based on 1,288 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 27th most-seen of the 398 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Lappet-faced Vulture in Masai Mara National Reserve?
August
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Lappet-faced Vulture in Masai Mara National Reserve on a given day, against about 20% in May and June, the lowest months. That is one of Masai Mara National Reserve's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain against 140 mm in April.
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 Masai Mara National Reserve the best place to see a Lappet-faced Vulture?
3rd of 34
Of the 34 parks where we can rate Lappet-faced Vulture sightings, Masai Mara National Reserve ranks 3rd at about 30%. The best odds are in Kidepo Valley National Park (Uganda, about 60%) and Serengeti National Park (Tanzania, about 50%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the Lappet-faced Vulture live in Masai Mara National Reserve?
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Lappet-faced Vulture that you can see in Masai Mara National Reserve (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are White-backed Vulture (about 40%), Bateleur (about 40%) and Tawny Eagle (about 40%), 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 Masai Mara National Reserve (1,288 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.
