Breeding biology of the Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus, in the Beypazari area, Turkey

Abstract

The Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus is globally endangered and its population shows a decreasing trend. Within Turkey, the largest breeding population is found in the Beypazari region north of Ankara. In the breeding season of 2020, we identified 109 occupied nest sites and breeding activities were recorded in 90 of them (breeding propensity 82.6%). Seventy-one young fledged from 62 nests and 28 nests failed, which gives a breeding success of 0.69 successful pairs per active nest, a fledging success of 1.15 fledglings per active nest, and a productivity of 0.65 fledglings per occupied nest site. Electrocution and collision, poisoning, and habitat loss are the main threats to the species in Turkey. In our study area, the number of active nests increased from 69 in 2016 to 90 in 2020.