Griffon Vulture vs Black Kite
Gyps fulvus compared with Milvus migrans
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Griffon Vulture | Black Kite |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Gyps fulvus | Milvus migrans |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 260.0 cm (102.4 in) | 91.5 cm (36.0 in) |
| Weight | 8500.0 g (299.83 oz) | 753.8333333333334 g (26.59 oz) |
| Diet | Exclusively carrion, primarily large mammal carcasses. Feeds communally, with groups of vultures able to strip … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Black Kite only
Griffon Vulture
Mountains, cliffs, and open grasslands. Nests on cliff ledges in colonies. Requires thermals for soaring flight.
Song & Call Comparison
Griffon Vulture
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.
Black Kite
Geographic Range & Migration
Griffon Vulture
Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Resident in most of its range.
Black Kite
Conservation Status
Griffon Vulture
Black Kite
How to Tell Them Apart
Griffon Vulture
Tawny-brown body with darker flight feathers. White neck ruff and bare greyish head. Long broad wings held flat when soaring.
Hooked yellowish bill adapted for tearing carrion
Black Kite
About These Birds
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.
Black Kite
The Black Kite is a medium-large raptor with brown plumage, a slightly forked tail, and an agile, buoyant flight style. It is one of the most abundant and widespread raptors in the world, inhabiting open woodlands, farmland, wetlands, and urban areas across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It is an opportunistic scavenger and hunter, feeding on carrion, fish, small vertebrates, insects, and refuse.