Old World vultures in the USA.

elefante

elefante

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I was in Detroit this summer and saw their collection of vultures. I got to thinking that the only other place I've seen them in the USA was in Louisville many years ago. How common are they in the USA and what species have you all seen in your travels?
 
Several species of Old World vulture are kept in US zoos. There are breeding programs for six species: African white-backed, cape, Eurasian black, hooded, lappet-faced, and Ruppell's griffon. I've seen Old World vultures at several zoos, including Saint Louis, Smithsonian, Lincoln Park, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Henson Robinson, and possibly Brookfield.

Between the six species and based on personal experience, I would think the majority of larger zoos have at least one type of Old World vulture, and some of the smaller ones too.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Several species of Old World vulture are kept in US zoos. There are breeding programs for six species: African white-backed, cape, Eurasian black, hooded, lappet-faced, and Ruppell's griffon. I've seen Old World vultures at several zoos, including Saint Louis, Smithsonian, Lincoln Park, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Henson Robinson, and possibly Brookfield.

Between the six species and based on personal experience, I would think the majority of larger zoos have at least one type of Old World vulture, and some of the smaller ones too.
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No Eurasian griffons in the USA? Thanks for the response. I have been more interested in them after seeing them this summer.
 
elefante said:
No Eurasian griffons in the USA? Thanks for the response. I have been more interested in them after seeing them this summer.
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Unfortunately not. Three of the species are present, but only have one individual representing their species in the country:
Oriental white-rumped vulture- one left at Miami if still alive, not on exhibit
Pondicherry vulture- one left at Palm Beach if still alive, not on exhibit
White-headed vulture- one left at Toledo (one is kept at Toronto as well, but those are the only two in North America to my knowledge).

Egyptian vultures are a phase-out species. Dallas sent theirs to Prague for a breeding program, and I believe Cleveland and SDZSP each have at least one.

Palm nut vultures are an oddity- they're considered a DERP (display/education/research program) so it's kind of in the hands of the zoos holding them (Dallas, Fort Worth, National Aviary, Staten Island (?), Jacksonville (?)) to decide what to do with them. Fort Worth recently bred the species.
 
jayjds2 said:
Unfortunately not. Three of the species are present, but only have one individual representing their species in the country:
Oriental white-rumped vulture- one left at Miami if still alive, not on exhibit
Pondicherry vulture- one left at Palm Beach if still alive, not on exhibit
White-headed vulture- one left at Toledo (one is kept at Toronto as well, but those are the only two in North America to my knowledge).

Egyptian vultures are a phase-out species. Dallas sent theirs to Prague for a breeding program, and I believe Cleveland and SDZSP each have at least one.

Palm nut vultures are an oddity- they're considered a DERP (display/education/research program) so it's kind of in the hands of the zoos holding them (Dallas, Fort Worth, National Aviary, Staten Island (?), Jacksonville (?)) to decide what to do with them. Fort Worth recently bred the species.
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Sorry to hear Egyptian vultures are being phased out.Those are neat birds.
 
but i have seen Old World vultures at Bronx National Aviary, Maryland Zoo dak Jacksonville many years ago metro richmond zoo are this year i saw them others been years
 
Cheyenne mountain zoo has three cape vultures and one Eurasian griffon
 
I have seen Cinereous Vultures at the Milwaukee County Zoo, and at the Chicago Lincoln Park Zoo.
 
Here in Atlanta are lappet-faced vultures and at least one hooded vulture. The lappets have a fairly nice, relatively spacious yard, but last I saw the hooded it was among the fairly cramped mesh aviaries tucked away near the children's zoo area - sharing one with a greater roadrunner no less, in what I hope is just a temporary situation.

How common are bearded vultures in the US, if they exist at all?
 
Okapipako said:
Here in Atlanta are lappet-faced vultures and at least one hooded vulture. The lappets have a fairly nice, relatively spacious yard, but last I saw the hooded it was among the fairly cramped mesh aviaries tucked away near the children's zoo area - sharing one with a greater roadrunner no less, in what I hope is just a temporary situation.

How common are bearded vultures in the US, if they exist at all?
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bearded vultures is no longer in US,
 
Oakland used to have a pair of griffon vultures. I don't know what happened to them though but the exhibit is now used for parrots, curassows, and agoutis.
 
Fort Worth Zoo: palm-nut vulture and white-backed vulture
Dallas Zoo: lappet-faced vulture, hooded vulture, palm-nut vulture, white-backed vulture, Rüppell’s vulture, and apparently they no longer have Egyptian vulture
Houston Zoo: used to have cinereous vulture
 
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