Lappet-faced Vulture
Lappet-faced VultureLappet-faced VultureLappet-faced VultureLappet-faced Vulture

Lappet-faced Vulture

Torgos tracheliotos

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Ruaha National Park
26 Verified records at Ruaha National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Lappet-faced Vulture sighting in Ruaha National Park, based on 26 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Ruaha National Park

Bateleur
EN

Bateleur

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Terathopius ecaudatus

50–60% · Likely
African Fish-Eagle
LC

African Fish-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haliaeetus vocifer

30–40% · Possible
Tawny Eagle
VU

Tawny Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aquila rapax

30–40% · Possible
White-backed Vulture
CR

White-backed Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps africanus

20–30% · Possible
Eastern Chanting-Goshawk
LC

Eastern Chanting-Goshawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melierax poliopterus

20–30% · Possible
Black-winged Kite
LC

Black-winged Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Elanus caeruleus

20–30% · With luck
African Hawk-Eagle
LC

African Hawk-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aquila spilogaster

10–20% · With luck
Martial Eagle
EN

Martial Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Polemaetus bellicosus

10–20% · With luck
Brown Snake Eagle
LC

Brown Snake Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus cinereus

10–20% · With luck
African Harrier-Hawk
LC

African Harrier-Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Polyboroides typus

10–20% · With luck
Hooded Vulture
CR

Hooded Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Necrosyrtes monachus

10–20% · With luck
Black-breasted Snake Eagle
LC

Black-breasted Snake Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus pectoralis

5–10% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
5–10
Feb
5–10
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
5–10
Jun
5–10
Jul
10–20
Aug
10–20
Sep
5–10
Oct
5–10
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
50–60%
2 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
40–50%
3 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
4 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
30–40%
5 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
20–30%
6 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
7 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
20–30%
8 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
9 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
10 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
11 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
10–20%
12 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
10–20%
13 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
14 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
15 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
16 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
17 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
10–20%
18 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
19 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
20 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
21 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
22 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
23 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
24 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
25 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
26 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
27 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
5–10%
28 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
29 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
30 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
<5%
31 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
32 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
33 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
34 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
35 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
36 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
37 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
38 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
39 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
40 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
41 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
42 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
43 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Lappet-faced Vulture in Ruaha National Park?

About 9% of wildlife watchers report a Lappet-faced Vulture sighting in Ruaha National Park, based on 26 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Lappet-faced Vulture in Ruaha National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Lappet-faced Vulture in Ruaha National Park in our monthly data.

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