First maintenance of Black Vulture nests brings promising results

Reconstruction of black vulture nest at Herdade da Contenda [Photo: LPN].

In mid-January, the League for the Protection of Nature (LPN) in collaboration with Herdade da Contenda, conducted the first maintenance of black vulture nests on that farm, as part of the LIFE Aegypius return project.

Last week, three natural nests of the black vulture that had fallen down in 2022 were rebuilt at Herdade da Contenda and two other nests that needed maintenance to be used by the species were repaired. In the case of the rebuilt nests, the breakage of branches that previously supported them, as well as bad weather, led to the collapse of the nests, and now structures have been built reinforced with metal bars to recreate the original nesting structures. In all these nests was also placed plant material (small branches, sticks, etc.), in order to mimic the natural conditions and make these structures again attractive to the species. These five nests are installed in large pine trees, usually selected by the black vulture to nest in the region. The intervention lasted three days and was supported by a team of two technicians with experience in building artificial nests.

Appearance of the tree before (top left) and after (top and bottom right) the nest reconstruction [Photos: LPN].

The effort now made at Herdade da Contenda has already started to produce results! Only three days after its reconstruction, it was already possible to observe a couple of Black Vultures perched on one of these nests. It should be noted that when that same nest collapsed at the end of last spring, a small nestling of the species lost its life. Now the Black Vulture will be able to breed there again, enjoying a reinforced nesting structure, and it is hoped that this time the reproduction will be successful!

Herdade da Contenda has the second largest breeding nucleus of black vulture in Portugal, currently with ten nesting couples. However, in 2022 only 3 couples successfully reproduced (raising, as usual in the species, one chick each), partly due to the collapse of natural nests during the breeding season.

Black vultures in the newly rebuilt nest (image taken from a distance, through a telescope) [Photo LPN].

In the coming weeks we will begin monitoring the nesting of the black vulture in this and other regions of intervention of the LIFE Aegypius return project. This work will allow to follow and evaluate the reproductive success of the species and the impact of conservation measures planned in the project.

About the Black Vulture

The black vulture (Aegypius monachus) is an imposing bird, with a wingspan of almost 3 meters. Necrophagous, it plays a vital role in ecosystems by feeding on carcasses, minimizing the proliferation of diseases. Individuals are somewhat late in reaching sexual maturity (4 to 5 years old) and each breeding female lays only one egg per year. The reproductive process is also quite lengthy: from the construction or arrangement of the nest to the independence of the young takes about nine months. Black vultures provide excellent parental care for their young, and the pair shares the various responsibilities, such as incubation, nest guarding and provision of food.

About the partnership of the project LIFE Aegypius return

The LIFE Aegypius return project is co-funded by the LIFE Program of the European Union and is led by Vulture Conservation Foundation, an international NGO. The consortium also has eight partner entities, from Portugal and Spain: Palombar - Nature Conservation and Rural Heritage, Herdade da Contenda E.M., Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds, League for the Protection of Nature, Transhumance and Nature Association, Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, National Republican Guard and National Association of Rural Landowners Cinegetic Management and Biodiversity.