There are three new black vulture chicks in the Alentejo!

Photo: First black vulture cub marked in Herdade da Contenda, in the year that the species reproduced again in Alentejo (2015), practicing flight exercises before leaving the nest

In a collaborative effort between Herdade da Contenda, the League for the Protection of Nature (LPN) and the Vulture Conservation Foundation (VCF), three black vulture chicks were ringed this year in Moura, Alentejo.

In Herdade da Contenda occurs one of the main Portuguese colonies of black vulture. In 2015, after more than 40 years, the first black vulture cub was born there in the Alentejo. This was one of the results of the effort for the conservation and recovery of the species in the region, which began in 2010 with the LIFE Vulture Lynx Habitat project, led by LPN. Today, the colony, estimated at least 10 breeding pairs, is the second largest in the country.

The work of monitoring the nests and the pairs starts at the end of winter, with the identification of occupied nests and new natural nests.

The Black Vulture has a long breeding period, lasting almost 9 months a year, beginning in late January with the construction or arrangement of previous years' nests, usually located in large trees on slopes with no or little human disturbance. The female lays one egg per year, between February and April, almost always consisting of a single egg.

This year, by the end of February almost all the pairs in this colony were already in the incubation stage, and in early August the marked chicks were preparing to leave the nest, training their first flights.

The number of pairs remained stable compared to the previous year. However, and although there were 9 incubations, the flying chicks reduced from 7 to 3, a number well below 2021. Associated to this low productivity are causes such as nest collapse, heat peaks in May (when the hatchlings were still very vulnerable) and other unknown causes.

The 3 flying young, 2 females and 1 male, were marked last July with metal rings (supplied by CEMPA/ICNF), colored rings (which allow identification of the animals at a distance, using a telescope) and GPS/GSM transmitters supplied by VCF.

These forms of monitoring are particularly relevant for endangered bird species, such as the black vulture, because they allow us to track their movements on a daily basis and thus understand various aspects of their ecology, as well as more effectively identify causes of mortality.

In addition to the marked birds, it was also possible to rescue a chick that was on the ground, under the nest, with signs of dehydration and injuries. After being stabilized, the young black vulture was sent to the Monsanto Forest Park Wild Animal Recovery Center (LxCRAS), by the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF, Alentejo Regional Directorate), where it is currently recovering.