Birds Active during the day

Cape Griffon

Gyps coprotheres

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

The Cape Griffon is southern Africa’s largest vulture, a master of the thermals that serves as nature's most efficient cleanup crew. With their massive wingspans and keen eyes, these majestic scavengers are a breathtaking sight across the southern African landscape.

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0 Habitats

Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 96–115 cm (38–45 in); Wingspan: 2.26–2.6 m (7.4–8.5 ft); Weight: 7–11 kg (15–24 lbs)

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Colors

Pale creamy-white body with contrasting dark brown to black flight feathers and tail; adults feature a bluish-grey unfeathered neck and yellow to amber eyes.

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Key Features

Massive wingspan with broad, finger-like primary feathers
Pale creamy plumage with dark wing and tail edges
Honey-colored eyes with dark pupils
Unfeathered bluish neck skin visible at the base
Heavy, hooked black beak designed for tearing

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 9 AM - 4 PM (Thermal flying hours)

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Season Year-round

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Diet Specialized scavenger; feeds primarily on the soft tissue, organ meats, and occasionally small bones of large mammal carcasses.

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Habitat Open grasslands, savannas, and shrublands, always located within flying distance of rugged mountain cliffs for nesting.

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Where Does the Cape Griffon Live?

Native to the southern tip of the African continent, the Cape Griffon is an iconic sight in the skies of Southern Africa. Its core population is concentrated within the high-altitude regions of South Africa, Lesotho, and Botswana, with smaller, more localized groups found in northern Namibia and parts of Zimbabwe. This bird thrives in open country where it can easily spot food from the air, but it remains tethered to the vertical safety of mountain ranges and Great Escarpment cliffs for its colonial breeding sites.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

6 Countries

800K km² Range

Vulnerable Conservation

ZA South Africa Lesotho BW Botswana NA Namibia ZW Zimbabwe Eswatini

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

The Cape Griffon is a highly social scavenger that relies on communal living for survival. They nest in large colonies on steep mountain cliffs, where they use high-altitude vantage points to scan the landscape for food. As masters of the air, they can soar for hundreds of kilometers in a single day, utilizing thermal updrafts to stay aloft with minimal energy expenditure. At a carcass, they exhibit a complex social hierarchy, often engaging in dramatic displays of hissing and wing-shrugging to establish dominance over the best feeding spots.

These vultures are nature's essential cleanup crew, providing a vital ecological service by consuming carrion that could otherwise spread disease. While they are often viewed with caution by farmers, they are largely harmless to healthy livestock and focus their efforts on animals that have already succumbed to natural causes or predation. Their reliance on large mammal populations means they often follow the movements of migratory herds or stay near areas with high densities of wildlife or cattle.

Interactions with humans have historically been challenging for the species. They are sensitive to disturbances at their nesting colonies and are highly vulnerable to power line collisions and accidental poisoning from veterinary drugs or baited traps intended for predators. Conservation efforts, including the establishment of 'vulture restaurants' where safe food is provided, have been instrumental in stabilizing their populations in recent years.

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Camera Tips

To successfully capture a Cape Griffon on your trail camera, placement is the most critical factor. These birds are extremely wary of ground-level activity and have incredible eyesight. If you are placing a camera near a known feeding site or 'vulture restaurant,' do so well in advance to allow the birds to habituate to the device. Position the camera on a low-profile mount or directly on a rock, angled slightly upward to catch the full breadth of their 8-foot wingspan as they descend for a landing. Because they are large birds, you should set your camera’s PIR sensitivity to 'Medium'—this prevents the camera from triggering for every small bird while ensuring it catches the heavy motion of a vulture landing.

Since Cape Griffons rely on thermal air currents to gain lift, they are rarely active on the ground during the early morning or late evening. For the best results, ensure your camera is set to operate during full daylight hours. Use a fast shutter speed or 'Action' mode if your camera supports it, as the competition at a carcass can be incredibly fast-paced, with birds lunging and flapping their wings. A burst mode of 3 to 5 photos per trigger is ideal for capturing the dynamic social interactions that occur when multiple vultures are present.

If you are setting up a camera in a backyard or farm setting specifically to attract them, ensure you have a wide, open clearing. These vultures require a significant 'runway' to take off, especially after a heavy meal, and will generally avoid landing in tight, brushy areas where a predator could be lurking. Avoid using any flash at night; while they aren't active then, the glow of an IR flash can sometimes spook them if they are roosting nearby. Instead, rely on natural light to capture the stunning blue-grey tones of their neck skin and the intricate patterns of their feathers.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Cape Griffon.

White-backed Vulture

Smaller and darker overall with dark brown eyes, whereas the Cape Griffon is much paler with amber eyes.

Lappet-faced Vulture

Larger and darker with a massive reddish beak and skin folds (lappets) on the face; it lacks the pale creamy plumage of the Cape Griffon.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Griffon are most active during the middle of the day, typically from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. They wait for the sun to warm the ground, creating thermal updrafts that allow them to soar and search for food with minimal effort.

The best way to attract Cape Griffon is to place your camera in a wide-open area near a safe, lead-free carcass. They are attracted to the sight of other scavengers, so if crows or smaller vultures are present, the Cape Griffon will often follow.

Cape Griffon are obligate scavengers, meaning they eat dead animals. They specialize in the soft tissues and organ meats of large mammals like cattle, antelope, and zebras.

No, they are rarely found in suburban areas. They prefer open grasslands and savannas far from human density, though they may occasionally be seen flying over rural outskirts near mountainous terrain.

The Cape Griffon is significantly larger and much paler than the White-backed Vulture. While the White-backed Vulture is a darker brown, the Cape Griffon appears almost white or creamy from a distance, with distinct honey-colored eyes compared to the dark eyes of the White-backed.

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