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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Montagu's Harrier	Griffon Vulture
Scientific Name	Circus pygargus	Gyps fulvus
Order	Accipitriformes	Accipitriformes
Family	Accipitridae	Accipitridae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	100.0 cm (39.4 in)
Wingspan	72.5 cm (28.5 in)	260.0 cm (102.4 in)
Weight	307.75 g (10.86 oz)	8500.0 g (299.83 oz)
Diet	--	Exclusively carrion, primarily large mammal carcasses. Feeds communally, with groups of vultures able to strip …
Clutch Size	1-6	1
Population Trend	—	—

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Size Comparison

Body Length

Montagu's Harrier —

Griffon Vulture 100.0 cm

Wingspan

Montagu's Harrier 72.5 cm

Griffon Vulture 260.0 cm

Weight

Montagu's Harrier 307.75 g

Griffon Vulture 8500.0 g

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌾 Grassland

Montagu's Harrier only

🌿 Wetland

Griffon Vulture only

🏜️ Desert 🌲 Forest

Griffon Vulture

Mountains, cliffs, and open grasslands. Nests on cliff ledges in colonies. Requires thermals for soaring flight.

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Song & Call Comparison

Montagu's Harrier

Griffon Vulture

Song

Generally silent; hisses and grunts at carrion with other vultures. Gives low croaking 'arrr' near nest. At colonies produces cackling and grunting — not melodic vocalizations.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Montagu's Harrier

Griffon Vulture

Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Resident in most of its range.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Montagu's Harrier

Least Concern

Griffon Vulture

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How to Tell Them Apart

Montagu's Harrier

Griffon Vulture

Plumage

Tawny-brown body with darker flight feathers. White neck ruff and bare greyish head. Long broad wings held flat when soaring.

Bill

Hooked yellowish bill adapted for tearing carrion

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About These Birds

Montagu's Harrier

Griffon Vulture

The griffon vulture is one of Europe's largest flying birds and a crucial scavenger in Mediterranean ecosystems. These social birds nest in large cliff colonies and can soar for hours using thermals without flapping. Vulture populations faced a crisis from the veterinary drug diclofenac, which proved fatal when consumed through contaminated carcasses.

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Related Comparisons

Bald Eagle vs Griffon Vulture

same-family

Wandering Albatross vs Griffon Vulture

look-alike

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