August has just finished and most of the Egyptian vultures breeding in Europe already started their journey to the winter grounds in Africa – including some of the birds tagged by the VCF and our partners!
Sara and Tobia – two captive-bred Egyptian vultures that were released back in 2015 in Italy, are on their way south. Sara had already spent last summer in Northern Africa, and this summer Tobia joined her. Now, they are both on their way south again. Both Sara and Tobia are not fully adult and hence did not yet breed.
Douro, which was tagged last year in the LIFE Rupis project, is a breeding bird which raised a chick this year in the Douro valley straddling Portugal and Spain. Douro started migration on the 29 August – 1 day later than last year! Fall migration is usually quite quick and the birds reach their wintering grounds after a bit more than two weeks of migration. Douro is currently resting south of Caceres, but will most likely continue his journey south in the next days.
Faia – another bird tagged within the LIFE RUPIS project last year, started 2 days later then Douro on her migration – and on the 4 September in the morning she was already close to Gibraltar to make the crossing to Africa.
Rupis, the subadult bird, might stay a bit longer in the summer grounds, but should also depart in the next couple of weeks.
You can check the whereabouts of these birds – and other tagged vultures – in the VCF website.
