Red-Headed Vulture:
Red-Headed Vulture was sighted for the first time at Manhampothikunnu near Mavungal in Kasaragod, Kerala.
- Red-Headed Vulture is one of the 9 species of Vulture which are found in India.
- It is also called the Asian King vulture or Pondicherry Vulture
- It is a dark, medium-sized vulture with a bare reddish head and loose flaps on the side of the neck.
- It weighs around 5 kg and averaging over 80 cm in length, the vulture is primarily solitary, often seen alone or with a mate.
- Its black plumage is marked by a distinctive white patch on the abdomen, which becomes more prominent during flight.
- The Red-Headed Vulture is typically found in Central India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
- Breeding: Breeding typically takes place between November and January.
- Conservation status
- IUCN Red List:Critically Endangered
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
- It was extensively found in India but its numbers drastically reduced after diclofenac poisoning.
