Tale of two vultures

by H. Rayaleh and M. McGrady

We are continuing to hear from the Egyptian vultures we tagged in Djibouti earlier this year.  As with the adult Egyptian vultures we tagged in Oman http://egyptianvultureoman.blogspot.com/, most of them appear to be territorial birds that move regularly between their territory and the abattoir at Tadjoure, where we caught them.  The territories are in cliff-rich terrain where they are probably nesting, at least some of them.  A few seem to be either unattached to a territory or less territorial because they may not be breeding this year.  Below are examples of a territorial bird (217, purple) and one that seems to be a "floating" bird (216, red).  Interestingly, the floating bird visited Ethiopia, returned to Djibouti (near Tadjoura), then headed again to Ethiopia and back to Tadjoura.  During that second Ethiopian sojourn it flew farther south, and was not so far from Adigala.  Look back at the maps of "Assamo" the Egyptian vulture we followed in 2013.
 https://egyptianvulturedjibouti.blogspot.com/2013/08/adigala.html .  Assamo, also spent a lot of time in Adigala.  I wonder what is so attractive there.

Movements of two adult Egyptian vultures during February - April 2020.  The red dots (216) are from a bird that apparently does not hold a territory, and wonders widely.  The purple dots (217) are from a bird that apparently holds a territory and regularly visits Tadjoure, Djibouti to feed.

Territory holders vs floaters

by H. Rayaleh and M. McGrady

In our previous post we showed maps of four territorial birds, and an apparently non-territorial bird.  The map below illustrates again how the behaviour of territorial birds differs from that of an apparently non-territorial "floating" bird.  At this time of year, territorial breeding vultures will be defending their territories against intruders, conducting courtship and producing eggs and young.  Of course, they still have to feed.  Floating birds don't have the burden (or benefit) of holding a territory, so they wander.  Those wanderings may include dwelling in some places for some limited amount of time, but they really are not tied to any locations.

Movements of three adult Egyptian Vultures during February and March 2020.  Blue and Green are territorial birds that occassionally travel to Tadjoura, presumably to feed.  Yellow is a wandering bird, with no fixed abode.

They seem to be resident

by H. Rayaleh and M. McGrady

So far, it seems that the birds we marked in Tadjoure in March are all resident birds; they were all adults.  Below is a map of some of the birds we are tracking.  If you double click on the map you should be able to see a full screen view. The map illustrates that some are probably territory holders (blue, green, red), and may be breeding now (its spring and love is in the air), and at least one is seemingly unattached to a territory, and wandering more widely.  The territory holder are occassionally visiting Tadjoure, presumably to feed at the abattoir there, from time to time.

Please, everyone stay healthy.

Movements of Egyptian vultures during March 2020.