Completed
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 ~90% in a week >90%
1,837 Verified sightings at Serengeti National Park From 2019 to 2026
8,303 In all 34 parks
April 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 Serengeti 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 Serengeti National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Lappet-faced Vulture in Serengeti National Park?
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Lappet-faced Vulture sighting in Serengeti National Park on a given day, based on 1,837 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 469 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, 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 Serengeti National Park?
April
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Lappet-faced Vulture in Serengeti National Park on a given day, against about 40% in January–February, July and October, the lowest months. That is one of Serengeti National Park's wettest months, with about 140 mm of rain against 5 mm in July.
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 Serengeti National Park the best place to see a Lappet-faced Vulture?
2nd of 34
Of the 34 parks where we can rate Lappet-faced Vulture sightings, Serengeti National Park ranks 2nd at about 50%. The best odds are in Kidepo Valley National Park (Uganda, about 60%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the Lappet-faced Vulture live in Serengeti National Park?
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Lappet-faced Vulture that you can see in Serengeti National Park (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Tawny Eagle (about 60%), Bateleur (about 40%) and White-backed Vulture (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 Serengeti National Park (1,837 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.
