The order Accipitriformes contains the diurnal (active during the day) birds of prey: hawks, goshawks, eagles, kites, vultures, ospreys, secretary birds. These birds have sometimes been considered part of the Falconiformes which contains the falcons, but DNA evidence indicates the orders should be separate.

The Accipitridae family contains the hawks, goshawks, eagles, kites, Old World vultures. Subfamilies are often used to group related species, but the subfamiles for much of Accipitridae are in flux. They will be used here if there is agreement for their members.

Old World vultures are not closely related to New World vultures. They resemble each other because of convergent evolution. Vultures in general feed on dead animals. They tend to have bald heads to minimize the feathers that get contaminated from carrion. Old World Vulture do not have a good sense of smell and thus locate their meals by sight.


Genus Aegypius - 1 species

Vulture, Monk  aka Eurasian Black Vulture aka Cinereous Vulture  Aegypius monachus  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Julius Rückert - Darmstadt Vivarium, Darmstadt, Germany 
    2) Mistvan - ZOO Olomouc, Czech Republic 3) Alastair Rae



Genus Gypaetus - 1 species

Vulture, Bearded   aka  Lammergeier  Gypaetus barbatus     Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) Richard Bartz




Genus Gypohierax - 1 species

Vulture, Palm Nut  Gypohierax angolensis  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Jacksonville Zoo   2) Steve Garvie  3, 4) Sergey Yeliseev - Kenya, Samburu National Reserve



Genus Gyps

Vulture, Cape  aka Cape Griffon Vulture  Gyps coprotheres  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Ian White  2) Dale Schultz


Vulture, Eurasian Griffon aka Griffon Vulture  Gyps fulvus  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Danielss - Cental Zoo - Nepal  2) Ingrid Taylor - Oakland Zoo, California


Vulture, Rüppell's  Griffon aka Rüppell's Vulture Gyps rueppellii   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Carol Foil - Samburu Reserve, Samburu District, Kenya  2, 3) Dick Daniels - Tanzania
   4) Dick - San Diego Zoo


Vulture, (African) White-backed Gyps africanus Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1, 3) Arno Meintjes  2) Charlie Westerinen - Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe   
    4) Dick Daniels - Jacksonville Zoo, Florida  5)  Dick in Tanzania
5) The one with the white neck is an African White-backed Vulture




Genus Necrosyrtes - 1 species

Vulture, Hooded  Necrosyrtes monachus  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo    2) Gabriel Buissart  3) Darren Bellerby - Maasai Mara, Kenya
   4) Dick - San Diego Zoo



Genus Neophron  - 1 species

Vulture, Egyptian  Neophron percnopterus  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Sandy Cole - San Diego Zoo  2) Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo 3) Norbert Potensky 
1, 2) Neophron p. percnopterus 




Genus Torgos  - 1 species

Vulture, Lappet-faced Torgos tracheliotus   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Dick Daniels - Jacksonville Zoo  2) Dick - Tanzania   3) Darren Bellerby - Maasai Mara, Kenya



Genus Trigonoceps - 1 species

Vulture, White-headed  Trigonoceps occipitalis  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Luc Viatour  2) Merijn Vogel