Supplementary material for McGrady et al. In press. Sandgrouse 44.

These figures provide supplementary information about an Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) tracked as it transitioned during 2018 - 2020 from being a floating individual in Oman and Iran to an apparent territory holder in Iran.  The published account of the movements of that bird is:

McGrady, MJ, Schmidt, M, Elahi Rad, Z & Meyburg, B-U. In press. Tracking of an Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus as it transitions from being a floater to being a territory-holder.  Sandgrouse 44: xxx - xxx. 

Ornithological Society of the Middle East: https://osme.org/

Supplementary Figure 1. Box plot of daily travel range of an Egyptian Vulture tracked in Oman and Iran during six purported periods of floating, acquiring a territory and breeding, 20 January 2018 – 30 March 2020. 1 - Floating in Oman and Iran, 2 - Pre-recruitment, 3 - Prospecting for territory, 4 - Breeding, territory holding 2019, 5 - Non-breeding, territory holding, 6 - Breeding season 2020 (partial). Boxes = 2nd and 3rd quartile, red diamond=mean, line in box=median, whiskers=approx 95% confidence intervals, black dot=outliers.

Home range of an Egyptian vulture in Oman

by M. McGrady and B.-U Meyburg

This is a little movie of the movements of an Egyptian vulture we tracked in Oman.  The video covers about 2 years of movements.  The territory is in the eastern part of the home range and the Muscat municipal landfill at Al Multaquaa is in the west.  The movie shows the regular visits this bird makes to the landfill.

Thanks Matthias Schmidt for animating the data.

171329 during early summer 2020

by B.-U. Meyburg and M. McGrady

We are still tracking a few Egyptian vultures that we fitted with satellite transmitters back in January 2018.  All, except one, stayed in Oman, and most seemed to be breeders.  The one that moved, just hopped across to Iran and settled there (but was recently electrocuted).  See past posts.

Below is an interesting map from 171329, which illustrates some common features we are seeing in vulture ranging behaviour.  In this map you can see that this bird moves mostly between Wadi Sareen (where it might breed and roost), and locations near Bidbid and at the Muscat landfill at Al Multaqaa (click on the map and it should open in a seperate tab).  However, it also makes exursions to Al Hayema and even to Al Mudaybi (almost 80 km away as the vulture flies).  Interestingly, at Al Mudaybi it visited a waste disposal site.  These movements are consistent with our supposition that the vultures sometimes venture to distant locations, perhaps to keep up to date on information about food availability.

Movements of an Egyptian vulture during early summer 2020.

171318 electrocuted

by M. McGrady and B.-U Meyburg

First of all... apologies for not posting anything for so long. 

Some bad news... On 22 April 171318 stopped moving, meaning either the bird had died or it had dropped its tag.  We notified colleagues in Iran, who quickly went out in search of the bird, and found it.  It had been electrocuted.  Below are some pictures.

Electrocution is a big probem for large soaring birds in many parts of the world.  At least two of the Egyptian vultures we have tracked from Oman in recent years have died in this manner. http://migratorysoaringbirds.undp.birdlife.org/en/sectors/energy/electrical-power-lines-toc#gsc.tab=0

Although this is bad news, it was very encouraging to receive such fast and effective help from our Iranian colleagues.  They responded within a very short time.  They have been also helpful in finding downed tags of Steppe eagles and Greater spotted eagles. 

Just to remind you... 171318 was fitted with a transmitter near Muscat in January 2018.  It flew back and forth along the north Oman coast, then across to Iran in April 2018.  It settled in around Qeshm Island, but apparently did not breed in 2018.  In 2019, it moved inland and seemed to occupy a territory and may have bred.  See the maps below and look back at earlier posts for details.

Movements of Egyptian vulture 171318 during Jan-May 2018.

Movements of Egyptian vulture 171318 during 1 Jan -22 Apr 2020.

Egyptian vultures in Oman are breeding

by B. U.Meyburg & M. McGrady

We are continuing to track Egyptian vultures in Oman. Most, if not all, the birds we are tracking are territory holders, and some of those may have already laid eggs. We can tell this by the reduction in solar power being created by the panels that power the transmitters.  This is because tagged birds are spending more time on the nest (in the shade) than when they are not breeding.  

An important finding of our work has been that Oman appears to be a stronghold for this globally endangered species.  Follow this link https://bioone.org/journals/Ardea/volume-108/issue-1/arde.v108i1.a4/A-Globally-Important-Stronghold-in-Oman-for-a-Resident-Population/10.5253/arde.v108i1.a4.full to download our Open Access article, and pass it on to others that might be interested.

Because breeding Egyptian vultures are now spending more time on their territories the numbers being seen at Al Multaqaa landfill will be lower than during the winter.  Additionally, migrating eagles (Steppe eagles, Imperial eagles, Greater spotted eagles) will also depart soon, if they have not already done so.

During February we also conducted field work in Djibouti on Egyptian vultures.  Djibouti may also be a stronghold.  You can follow that effort here: https://egyptianvulturedjibouti.blogspot.com/

So as not to deprive you of some eye-candy, below is a map of the movements of one of our territorial Egyptian vultures during one day in early March.  One can see how it spent most of its time near its presumed breeding territory, but made a trip north the Al Multaqaa... presumably to feed.

Movements of a territorial Egyptian vulture durin 2-3 March.  The shaded area is Wadi Sireen Nature Reserve

Egyptian vulture work in Oman - a history

by M. McGrady and B.U. Meyburg

An adult Egyptian vulture ready to be fitted with a satellite tag in 2018.

Egyptian vulture is globally endangered, and faces a wide range of threats including, poisoning, electrocution, persecution and hunting for belief-based medicine.  Most vulture species in Eurasia and Africa are of conservation concern, being either endangered or critically endangered.

Since 2012 Egyptian vulture research has been conducted in Oman.

2012 - surveys of breeding Egyptian vultures on Masirah supported by the Environment Society of Oman (ESO) find it to be the second most dense population in the world,  The result of that survey are published.

2013 - Waheed Al Fazari conducts vulture surveys for 1.5 yrs at the Muscat municipal landfill. Results are published.

2014 - the ESO supports wider surveys at dumpsites on the mainland.

2015 - Waheed Al Fazari and International Avian Research capture and tag with a satellite transmitter the first Egyptian two vultures to be tracked in Oman

2016 - two more vultures fitted with satellite transmitters by International Avian Research

2018 - 12 adult Egyptian vultures are trapped at the Muscat municipal landfill and fitted with transmitters.  This work funded by International Avian Research and the Bernd Meyburg Fund for Raptor Conservation and Research.  Be'ah, the waste management company in Oman, joins the conversation about how best to manage waste in Oman to benefit both scavenging birds (like vultures) and humans.

2019 - Surveys for breeding Egyptian vultures in the eastern Hajar Mountains by International Avian Research and the Bernd Meyburg Fund for Raptor Conservation and Research find many more breeding vultures than estimated.  Oman seen as a global stronghold.  Results of on-going surveys by ESO on Masirah, results of tracking and identification of Oman as a stronghold published in three different papers.  Artwork by Violet Astor raises funds for more work by ESO on Egyptian vultures.

So, at the end of 2019 we have 8 satellite tags providing data on movements of territorial adult Egyptian vultures (7 in Oman, one in southern Iran).  These birds have been tracked for two years now, and we plan a first effort at analysing those data in 2020.  Also, with funds from the Astor artwork, we will initiate field work and public conservation education efforts with Egyptian vultures as a focus.

Apart from the organizations mentioned, the work was undertaken with permission from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA). Be'ah and its contractors helped by providing safe access to their landfill sites.  Be sure to visit our other site about tracking scavenging birds in Oman: http://steppeeaglesoman.blogspot.com/

171326 a change in home range.

by B.-U. Meyburg & M. McGrady

Most of the Egyptian vultures we captured and fitted with satellite transmitters in January 2018 were apparently settled territory holders.  From the very beginning tracking has showed them to move between their territories and the dumpsites and landfills that they regularly visit for food.  However, a few were not settled, and presumably were "floaters", birds that had no fixed territories (and no mates).  171326 appeared to be such a bird.

Below are maps of the last 20,000 locations and last 5,000 locations of  Egyptian vulture 171326.  As can be seen, this bird was spending almost all of its time north of the eastern Hajar Mountains, but then shifted SW, and has more recently settled into an area south of Sayq and has made forays out toward and beyond Birkat al Mous and even visiting Jebel Shams.

The last 20,000 locations of  an adult Egyptian vulture (171326), up to 13 October 2019. Click on map to open in a new window for easier viewing.

The last 5,000 locations of  an adult Egyptian vulture (171326), up to 13 October 2019. Click on map to open in a new window for easier viewing.