Distribution

The Eurasian Griffon is present in the southern Palearctic, ranging from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa in the west, to northern India and northwestern Mongolia in the east (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close , 3 Cramp, S., and K. E. L. Simmons, Editors (1980). Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume II: Hawks to Bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 84 MaMing, R., and G. Xu (2015). Status and threats to vultures in China. Vulture News 68:3–24. Close ).

Breeding Range

In Europe, its breeding range covers much of the Iberian Peninsula, extending into the Pyrenees of southern France. It is present in the Mediterranean Alps, the Italian and Balkan peninsulas, Ukraine, Türkiye, and the Caucasus Mountains. It also breeds on the Mediterranean islands of Majorca (Balearic Islands, Spain), Sardinia, and Sicily (Italy), the Kvarner Islands (Croatia), and Cyprus (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close , 3 Cramp, S., and K. E. L. Simmons, Editors (1980). Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume II: Hawks to Bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 85 Perco, F., S. G. Toso, G. Sušić, and M. Apollonio (1983). Initial data for a study on the status, distribution and ecology of the Griffon vulture, Gyps fulvus fulvus (Hablizl, 1783) in the Kvarner Archipelago. Larus 33–35: 99–134. Close , 86 Genero, F., F. Perco, and B. Dentesani (1996). Il Grifone in Italia e nel mondo. Biologia e strategie di conservazione. Franco Muzzio, Padova, Italy. Close , 87 Camiña, A., J. Mayol, and J. Muntaner (2015). El buitre leonado, Gyps fulvus, en islas del Mediterráneo: colonización y asentamiento en las Islas Baleares. In Llibre Verd de Protecció d’Espècies a les Balears (Govern de les Illes Balears, Editors), Monografies de la Societat d’Història Natural de les Balears, Illes Balears, Spain. pp. 255–262. Close , 88 Boyla, K. A., L. Sinav, and D. E. Dizdaroğlu (2019). Türkiye Üreyen Kuş Atlası. WWF-Türkiye, Doğal Hayatı Koruma Vakfı, İstanbul, Türkiye. Close , 89 Tilba, P. A. (2020). Belogolovyy sip. Gyps fulvus. Griffon Vulture. In Atlas gnezdyashchikhsya ptits yevropeyskoy chasti Rossii. Atlas of Breeding Birds of the European Part of Russia (M. V. Kalyakin, and O. V. Voltzit, Editors). Fiton XXI, Moscow, Russia. pp. 214–215. Close ). In addition to mainland Greece, it is present in Crete, Naxos (and nearby Heraklia Island) in the Aegean Sea, and in Kefalonia Island in the Ionian Sea (90 Magioris, S. N. (1987). Check-list of the bird species have been observed in Cyclades, Aegean-Greece, during 19th and 20th century. Ecología Mediterránea 13(1/2): 15–22. Close ; Xirouchakis, personal communication). Older records note breeding Eurasian Griffon in central Europe, north of the Alps (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close ), but the accuracy of these records has been questioned (91 Mlíkovský, J. (2005). Did Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) breed north of the Alps in the past 200 years? Buteo 14:57–59. Close ). However, osteological remains of Eurasian Griffon nestlings were found in a cave deposit in the Upper Danube Valley (Baden-Württemberg, Germany), from Roman (100s AD) and Medieval (1100s AD) periods (92 Hölzinger, J. (2012). Das Alter des historischen Brutvorkommens des Gänsegeiers Gyps fulvus im Oberen Donautal auf der Schwäbischen Alb. Ornithologische Jahreshefte für Baden-Württemberg 28:1–18. Close ).

In the Iberian Peninsula, the Eurasian Griffon is widely distributed throughout Spain, excepting the regions of Galicia, the plains of Castilla-La Mancha, and the northwestern sector of Castilla y León, where it is not found (93 García Ferré, D., and X. Marco (1983). Voltor comú. Gyps fulvus. In Atlas dels ocells nidificants de Catalunya i Andorra (J. Muntaner, X. Ferrer, and A. Martínez-Vilalta, Editors). Ketres, Barcelona, Spain. pp. 60–61. Close , 94 Donázar, J. A. (1997). Buitre leonado. Gyps fulvus. In Atlas de las aves de España (1975-1995) (F. J. Purroy, Editor), Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. pp. 100–101. Close , 95 Martí, R. (2003). Buitre leonado. Gyps fulvus. In Atlas de las Aves Reproductoras de España (R. Martí, and J. C. Del Moral, Editors), Dirección General de la Conservación de la Naturaleza-Sociedad Española de Ornitología, Madrid, Spain. pp. 168–169. Close , 96 García-Ferré, D., A. Margalida, A. Borau, A. Beneyto, C. Expósito, and X. Jiménez (2004). Voltor comú. Gyps fulvus. In Atles dels ocells nidificants de Catalunya 1999-2002 (J. Estrada, V. Pedrocchi, L. Brotons, and S. Herrando, Editors). ICO - Lynx Editions, Barcelona. pp. 162–163. Close , 97 Pascual Stevens, D., E. García, and C. M. Álvarez Laó (2014). Gyps fulvus. In Atlas de las aves nidificantes de Asturies (1990-2010) (E. García, P. García-Rovés, A. Vigil Morán, L. M. Alonso Cuetos, M. A. Fernández Pajuelo, G. Silva González, D. Pascual Stevens, and D. Álvarez, Editors), Coordinadora Ornitolóxica d’Asturies, Avilés. pp. 172–175. Close , 98 Seguí Llopis, A., and A. Seguí Romà (2015). Buitre leonado (Gyps fulvus). In Atlas de las aves nidificantes en la provincia de Alicante (G. López Iborra, A. Bañuls Patiño, A. Zaragozí Llenes, J. Sala Bernabeu, A. Izquierdo Rosique, J. E. Martínez Pérez, J. Ramos Sánchez, D. Bañuls Patiño, S. Arroyo Morcillo, J. A. Sánchez Zapata, B. Campos Roig, and A. Reig Ferrer, Editors), Publicaciones de la Universitat d’Alacant – SEO/Alicante, Alicante, Spain. pp. 140–141. Close , 99 Del Moral, J. C., and B. Molina (2022). Buitre leonado Gyps fulvus. In III Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción en España (B. Molina, A. Nebreda, A. R. Muñoz, J. Seoane, R. Real, J. Bustamante and J. C. del Moral, Editors), SEO/BirdLife, Madrid. Close ). In Portugal, it occurs in the gorges of the Duero, Tagus, and Guadiana rivers (100 Rufino, R., A. Araujo, and M. Abreu (1985). Breeding raptors in Portugal: distribution and population estimates. Conservation Studies on Raptors (I. Newton and R. D. Chancellor, Editors), ICBP Technical Publication Nº 5. pp. 15–27. Close , 101 de Juana, E., and E. Garcia (2015). The Birds of the Iberian Peninsula. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close , 102 Equipa Atlas (2022). III Atlas das Aves Nidificantes de Portugal (2016-2021). SPEA, ICNF, LabOr/UÉ, IFCN, Portugal. Close , 103 Monteiro, A., and C. Pacheco (2022) Censo Nacional de Grifos e Britangos, 2018. ICNF, SPEA. In O estado das aves em Portugal, 2022 (H. Alonso, J. Andrade, J. Teodósio, and A. Lopes, Editors), 2ª edição, Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves, Lisboa. pp. 86–91. Close ). In northwestern Africa, it is present in Algeria, where it has been recorded in the Djurjura Mountains (Kabylie), and the Ouarsenis and the Dhara ranges in the Tell Atlas Mountains (104 Isenmann, P., and A. Moali (2000). Oiseaux d’Algérie. Birds of Algeria. Société d’Études Ornithologiques de France, Paris, France. (In French and English.) Close ).

In the Middle East, it is found in Syria (105 Baumgart, W. (1995). Die Vögel Syriens: eine Übersicht. Max Kasparek Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany. Close ), northern Iraq (106 Ararat, K. (2009). Key Biodiversity Areas: Rapid assessment of birds in Kurdistan, northern Iraq. BioRisk 3: 187–203. Close ), Israel (107 Frumkin, R. (1986). The status of breeding raptors in the Israeli deserts, 1980–1985. Sandgrouse 8: 42–57. Close , 108 Shirihai, H. (1996). The Birds of Israel: A Complete Avifauna and Bird Atlas of Israel. Academic Press, London, UK. Close , 109 Efrat, R., O. Hatzofe, Y. Miller, and O. Berger-Tal (2020). Determinants of survival in captive-bred Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus after their release to the wild. Conservation Science and Practice 2: e308. Close ), central and western Saudi Arabia, and southwestern Yemen (110 Evans, M. I., Editor (1994). Important Bird Areas in the Middle East. BirdLife Conservation Series 2. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. Close , 111 Jennings, M. C. (1995). An Interim Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development & Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia Project, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Close , 112 Jennings, M. C. (2010). Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Arabia. Fauna of Arabia 25. King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Saudi Wildlife Commission & Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia & Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close ). However, the Eurasian Griffon was not seen during a three-week survey of birds in eastern Yemen in October and November 1989 (113 Jennings, M. (1992). Wildlife and Conservation in Eastern Yemen. Tribulus. Bulletin of the Emirates Natural History Group 2(2): 34–36. Close ).

In southern Asia, it is present in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close , 3 Cramp, S., and K. E. L. Simmons, Editors (1980). Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume II: Hawks to Bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). In Pakistan, it breeds throughout Balochistan and in parts of Sind Kohistan and the Salt Range (114 Roberts, T. J. (1991). The Birds of Pakistan. Volume 1. Non-Passeriformes. Oxford University Press, Karachi, Pakistan. Close ). In central Asia, there are breeding populations in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, southeastern Kazakhstan, and western Xinjiang, China and southeastern Tibet (115 Korelov, M. N. (1962). Otryad khishchnyye ptitsy – Falconiformes. In Ptitsy Kazakhstana (V. F. Gavrin, I. A. Dolgushin, M. N. Korelov, and M. A. Kuzmina, Editors). Tom 2. Izdatel'stvo Akademii Nauk Kazakhskoy SSR, Alma-Ata. pp. 488–707. Close , 9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close , 3 Cramp, S., and K. E. L. Simmons, Editors (1980). Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume II: Hawks to Bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 116 Robel, D. (1993). Zum Vorkommen von Schnee- und Gänsegeier (Gyps himalayensis und Gyps fulvus) in Zentralasien. Die Vogelwelt. Beitrage zur Vogelkunde 39: 21–31. Close , 117 Katzner, T., A. Gavashelishvili, S. Sklyarenko, M. McGrady, J. Shergalin, and K. Bildstein (2004). Population and conservation status of griffon vultures in the former Soviet Union. In Raptors Worldwide ( R. D. Chancellor and B. U. Meyburg, Editors). WWGBP/MME. pp. 235–240. Close , 118 Londei, T. (2013). Presence of the Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus in lowland Turkmenistan. Sandgrouse 35: 132–133. Close , 84 MaMing, R., and G. Xu (2015). Status and threats to vultures in China. Vulture News 68:3–24. Close , 119 Toropov, S. A. (2017). The Birds of Pamirs, Hissar, Alai, and Tien Shan. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Part 1. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Close ). In the mountain regions of central Asia (the Hissar, Pamir, Tien Shan, and Alai ranges), the Eurasian Griffon is sometimes sympatric with the Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis). However, most colonies of the Eurasian Griffon were found in western mountain ranges (Hissar, Pamirs), whereas colonies of the Himalayan Griffon were more abundant in central and eastern mountain ranges; it is possible that some colonies included both species. Colonies of the Eurasian Griffon were recorded in the Dzungarian Alatau range (Kazakhstan), the northeastern Chu-Ili Mountains (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan), the Karatau Mountains just north of the Syr Darya River (Kazakhstan), the Kuluktau Mountains near the Charyn River (Kazakhstan), western Tien-Shan Mountains (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan), the Fergana Valley (Uzbekistan), western parts of the Hissar Mountains (Kazakhstan/Kyrgysztan), and the Darvaz range (Tajikistan) (120 Gavrilov, A. E., and E. I. Gavrilov (1999). Fauna i rasprostranenie ptits Kazakhstana. [Fauna and Distribution of the Birds of Kazakhstan]. Akademiya nauk, Almaty, Kazakhstan. (In Russian.) Close , 119 Toropov, S. A. (2017). The Birds of Pamirs, Hissar, Alai, and Tien Shan. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Part 1. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Close ).

Nonbreeding Range

Across Spain and regionally in Cataluña, the Eurasian Griffon was most frequently observed in winter in mountain ranges and rocky areas where it bred (121 Del Moral, J. C. (2012). Buitre leonado. Gyps fulvus. In Atlas de las aves en invierno en España 2007-2010 (J. C. Del Moral, B. Molina, A. Bermejo and D. Palomino, Editors), Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente-SEO/BirdLife, Madrid, Spain. pp. 170–171. Close , 122 García-Ferré, D., A. Margalida, J. Mestre-Querol, and C. Baiges (2011). Voltor comú. Gyps fulvus. In Atlas dels ocells de Catalunya a l’hivern 2006-2009 (S. Herrando, L. Brotons, J. Estrada, J., S. Guallar and M. Anton, Editors), Institut Català d’Ornitologia/Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. pp. 208–209. Close ). Elsewhere, its nonbreeding range includes many other areas inhabited during the breeding season, but also expands extensively southward where it migrates each autumn, including the Sahel region that borders the southern edge of the Sahara desert, the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Pakistan, and India, and the Zagros Mountains of Iran.

In the Sahel region, it occurs in Mauritania (123 Dekeyser, P. L., and A. Villiers (1950). Contribution à l’étude du peuplement de la Mauritanie. Oiseaux récoltés par A. Villiers. Bulletin de l'Institut français d'Afrique noire 12: 660–699. Close , 124 Browne, P. W. P. (1982). Palearctic birds wintering in southwest Mauritania: species, distributions and population estimates. Malimbus 4: 69–92. Close , 125 Gee, J. P. (1984). The birds of Mauritania. Malimbus 6(1–2): 31–66. Close , 126 Layna, J. F. (1997). Eurasian Griffons Gyps fulvus migrating into Cap Blanc, Mauritania, Western Sahara. Vulture News 36: 35–36. Close ), Senegal (127 Dupuy, A. R. (1976). Données nouvelles concernant la reproduction de quelques espèces aviennes au Sénégal. L'Oiseau et la Revue Francaise d’Ornithologie 46: 47–62. Close , 128 Alonso, J. A. (1984). Sur les quartiers d'hiver des vautours fauves migrateurs. Alauda 52(4): 308–309. Close , 129 Sauvage, A., and S. P. Rodwell (1988). Notable observations of birds in Senegal (Excluding Parc National des oiseaux du Djoudj), 1984-1994. Malimbus 20: 75–122. Close , 130 Morel, G. J., and M. Y. Morel (1990). Les Oiseaux de Sénégambie: Notices et Cartes de Distribution. Centre de l’Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique d’Outre-Mer, Paris, France. Close , 131 Rodwell, S. P., A. Sauvage, S. J. R. Rumsey, and A. Bräunlich (1996). An annotated check-list of birds occurring at the Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj in Senegal, 1984–1994. Malimbus 18: 74–111. Close , 132 Barlow, C. R., T. Wacher, and T. Disley (1997). A Field Guide to Birds of The Gambia and Senegal. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), The Gambia (133 Roy, K. (2005). Sightings of European Griffon Vultures in eastern Gambia from December 1999 to January 2005. Vulture News 53: 20–23. Close ), Niger (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close , 134 Shull, B., M. Grettemberger, and J. Newby (1986). Recent observations of Birds in W National Park (Niger). Malimbus 8: 23–24. Close , 135 Newby, J. E., J. Grettenberger, and J. Watkins (1987). The birds of the northern Aïr, Niger. Malimbus 9:4–16. Close , 136 Giraudoux, P., R. Degauquier, P. J. Jones, J. Weigel, and P. Isenmann (1988). Avifaune du Niger: état des connaissances en 1986. Malimbus 10:1–140. Close ), Central African Republic (137 Carroll, R. W. (1988). Birds of the Central African Republic. Malimbus 10(2):177–200. Close , 138 Dowsett, R. J., P. Christy, and M. Germain (1999). Additions and corrections to the avifauna of Central African Republic. Malimbus 21(1):1–15. Close ), Chad (139 Sušić, G. (2000). Regular Long-distance Migration of Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus. In Raptors at Risk. Proceedings of the V World Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls (R. D. Chancellor and B. U. Meyburg, Editors). World Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls and Hancock House, BC, Canada. pp. 225–230. Close ), Sudan, South Sudan (140 Arkumarev, V., D. Dobrev, and A. Stamenov (2019). First record of Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus from the Balkans migrating to South Sudan revealed by GPS tracking. Scopus 39(2): 27–35. Close ), Nigeria (141 Strandberg, R., U. Ottosson, M. J. Waldenström, and O. Hellgren (2007). European Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus at Yankari National Park, Nigeria. Malimbus 29: 122–123. Close ), and Ghana (142 Di Vittorio, M., and F. Petrozzi (2018). Preliminary data on the birds of prey at Mole National park (Ghana), including the first record of Gyps fulvus and a short synopsis of the literature on this species’ occurrence in West Africa. Vie et Milieu - Life and Environment 68(1): 19–23. Close ). In a sample of GPS-tracked juveniles from central Spain (n = 5), four birds wintered in Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea-Conakry, whereas one bird wintered in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Burkina Faso (143 Martínez, F., J. Oltra, P. Romero-Vidal, O. Frías, J. L. González del Barrio, J. M. Pérez-García, J. L. Tella, M. Carrete, and G. Blanco (2024). Bio-logging shows a central trans-Saharan migration and unknown wintering grounds in Africa of a juvenile griffon vulture from Spain. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 47.1:1–8. Close ).

Migrants from the Caucasus Mountains move to Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, southern Pakistan, and India (144 McGrady, M. J., and A. Gavashelishvili (2006). Tracking Vultures from the Caucasus into Iran. Podoces 1(1/2): 21–26. Close , 145 Ram, M., A. Sahu, S. Tikadar, D. Gadhavi, T. A. Rather, L. Jhala, and Y. Zala (2022). Home range, movement and activity patterns of six vulture species using satellite telemetry in Saurashtra Landscape, Gujarat, India. Ecologies 3:492–507. Close ).

In spring and summer, non-reproductive individuals move north toward Kazakhstan, Siberia, and central Europe, especially the mountain range of the Alps (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close , 3 Cramp, S., and K. E. L. Simmons, Editors (1980). Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume II: Hawks to Bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 146 Genero, F. (1985). Indagine sulla presenza del Grifone, Gyps fulvus, sulle Alpi orientali. Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia 55(3–4): 113–126. Close , 147 Terrasse, M. (2006). The movements of griffon vulture in France and Europe. Ornithos 13(5): 273–299. Close , 148 Krüger, T., and J. A. Krüger (2007). Einflug von Gänsegeiern Gyps fulvus in Deutschland 2006: Vorkommen, mögliche Ursachen und naturschutzfachliche Konsequenzen. Limicola 21(3): 185–217. Close , 149 Baumgart, W. (2007). Einige Hintergründe der in den letzten Jahren zunehmenden Gänsegeier-Einflüge (Gyps fulvus) nach Mitteleuropa. Greifvögel und Falknerei 2007:104–128. Close , 150 Posse, B. (2010). Afflux spectaculaires de vautours fauves Gyps fulvus en Suisse (2005-2009). Nos Oiseaux 57: 3–24. Close ). Non-breeding adults may move from Spain to France, Italy, and Bulgaria (151 Stoyanov, G., H. Peshev, E. Kmetova-Biro, G. Opramolla, C. Moreno Casado, M. Posillico, V. Licheva, and E. Stoynov (2020). Observation in Bulgaria of a Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus tagged in Spain. Ringing & Migration 34(1): 57–59. Close ). Non-breeding, usually subadult individuals regularly occur throughout Kazakhstan where saiga antelope (Saiga tartarica) are found (Katzner, personal communication).

Extralimital Records

The Eurasian Griffon has been recorded in England, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Malta, Eritrea, Somalia, Aden, Oman (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close , 3 Cramp, S., and K. E. L. Simmons, Editors (1980). Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume II: Hawks to Bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), Kenya (152 Clark, W. S. (2001). First record of European Griffon Gyps fulvus for Kenya. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 8(1): 59–60. Close ), and Bangladesh (153 Thompson, P. M., S. U. Chowdhury, E. Ul Haque, M. M. H. Khan, and R. Halder (2014). Notable bird records from Bangladesh from July 2002 to July 2013. Forktail 30: 50–65. Close ). Up to five individuals were observed in Oman during February and March 1958 (154 Paige, J. P. (1960). Bird notes from Aden and Oman. The Ibis 102: 520–525. Close ). It is also a rare visitor to Libya, where there is an observation from Cyrene in 2008 (155 Isenmann, P., J. Hering, S. Brehme, M. Essghaier, K. Etayeb, E. Bourass, and H. Azafzaf (2016). Oiseaux de Libye [Birds of Libya]. Societé d’Etudes Ornithologiques de France, Paris, France. Close ). In Russia, it has been recorded in Pavda, Rubtsovsk, Barnaul, Tobolsk, Yaroslavl, Kirov (156 Dementiev, G. P. (1951). Otryad khishchnyye ptitsy Acipitres ili Falconiformes. In Ptitsy Sovetskogo Soyuza (G. P. Dementiev and N. A. Gladkov, Editors), Tom 1. Sowjetskaja Nauka, Moskwa, Russia. pp. 70–341. Close ), Yakutia (157 Davydov, S. P. (2018). Zalot belogolovogo sipa Gyps fulvus v arkticheskuyu tundru Yakutii. Russkiy ornitologicheskiy zhurnal 27, Ekspress-vypusk 1686: 5280–5283. Close ), near Vetelki (Alexandrovo Gay region, Saratov Oblast; 158 Tabachishin, V. G., and E. Y. Mosolova (2010). Novaya vstrecha belogolovogo sipa Gyps fulvus v Saratovskoy oblasti. Russkiy Ornitologicheskiy Zhurnal 19, Ekspress-vypusk 570: 860–861. Close ), near Pokrovka (Nizhny Novgorod Oblast; 159 Novikova, L. M., and M. V. Pestov (2013). O zalote belogolovogo sipa Gyps fulvus v Nizhegorodskuyu oblast. Russkiy Ornitologicheskiy Zhurnal 22, Ekspress-vypusk 895: 1822–1823. Close ), and in the Snezhnoye oil and gas field in the Kargasoksky District (58°56' N, 79°45' E, Western Siberia; 160 Tyutenkov, O. Y. (2018). Zaloty belogolovogo sipa Gyps fulvus v tayozhnuyu zonu Zapadnoy Sibiri. Russkiy Ornitologicheskiy Zhurnal 27, Ekspress-vypusk 1686: 5279–5280. Close ). A record of a Eurasian Griffon from Pribaikalsky National Park in Irkutsk Oblast (Siberia, Russia; 161 Alekseyenko, M. N. (2019). Pervaya vstrecha belogolovogo sipa Gyps fulvus v Irkutskoy oblasti. Russkiy Ornitologicheskiy Zhurnal 28, Ekspress-vypusk 1868: 6121. Close ) has since been reidentified as a Himalayan Griffon (162 Popov, V. V., and M. N. Alekseyenko (2019). Erroneous definition of a white-headed vulture Gyps fulvus in Irkutsk region. Baikal Zoological Journal 3(26): 140. Close ). In Ukraine, there was one sighting near Kamianets-Podilskyi in Khmelnytskyi Oblast (163 Tarasenko, M. O. (2013). A supervision Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus Hablizl in Podilya. Troglodytes 4: 98. Close ), and another in the town of Bohuslav, Kyiv Oblast (164 Panchuk, O. S., V. M. Liaskivskyi, and M. N. Gavrilyuk (2017). Vagrant of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) to Kyiv region. Berkut 26(1): 64. Close ). In Mongolia, it is a very rare non-breeding summer visitor to Altai and Khangai mountains (165 Cheke, A. S. (2003). Summer birds in Arkhangai province, Mongolia, July-August 2002. Mongolian Journal of Biological Sciences 1(2):59–72. Close , 166 Sundev, G., and C. Leahy (2019). Birds of Mongolia. Helm Field Guides, London, UK. Close ).

A juvenile Eurasian Griffon was found dead in a wind farm on Madeira Island (Portugal) in November 2021 (167 Rodrigues, J. M., and C. Lobo (2022). First record of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus Hablizl, 1783), Accipitridae on Madeira Island. Bocagiana 251:01–05. Close ).

A reduction in the extent of the breeding distribution occurred during the 1900s in Europe, northwest Africa, and the Middle East. Many populations disappeared completely; only a few small populations survived, mainly in Spain (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close , 3 Cramp, S., and K. E. L. Simmons, Editors (1980). Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume II: Hawks to Bustards. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). The decline was caused by poisoning, hunting, and a decrease in available carrion. To build up the population again, the Eurasian Griffon and its colonies were legally protected, the use of poison in carrion was prohibited, supplementary feeding points were established, and reintroductions were carried out.

In Morocco, the Eurasian Griffon was widely distributed as a breeder, but suffered a severe decline during the late 1900s. Of the ten known colonies, only three were active in 1984 (168 Soto, P. (1986). Le statut du Vautour fauve Gyps fulvus au Maroc. Birds of Prey Bulletin 3: 173–181. Close ), and they may now be extirpated (169 Thévenot, M., R. Vernon, and P. Bergier (2003). The Birds of Morocco. An Annotated Check-list. BOU Check-list 20. British Ornithologists’ Union, Tring, UK. Close , 170 Garrido, J. R., A. Camiña, M. Guinda, M. Egea, N. Mouati, A. Godino, and J. L. Paz de la Rocha (2005). Absence of the Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus) in northern Morocco. Journal of Raptor Research 39(1): 70–74. Close ). Colonies once recorded near Aouinet Aït Oussa, Zemmour, and Bas Draa (southern Morocco) are no longer present (171 Bergier, P., M. Thévenot, and A. Qninba (2017). Oiseaux du Sahara Atlantique Marocain. Societé d'Etudes Ornithologiques de France, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. Close ). In Tunisia, it was a breeder at Jebel Ressas and Jebel Zaghouan, and in the south at Jebel Kambout and Oued Lisseri (172 Isenmann, P., T. Gaultier, A. El Hili, H. Azafzaf, H. Dlensi, and M. Smart (2005). Oiseaux de Tunisie / Birds of Tunisia. Société d’Études Ornithologiques de France, Paris, France. (In French and English.) Close ). Breeding was recorded in Egypt (173 Goodman, S. M., and P. L. Meininger, Editors (1989). The Birds of Egypt. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) and in Kassala Province, Sudan (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close ), but the populations in both locations are now extirpated (174 Nikolaus, G. (1987). Distribution Atlas of Sudan’s Birds with Notes on Habitat and Status. Bonner Zoologische Monographien 25. Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany. Close ). In the 1900s breeding colonies in Jordan were common in the Rift Margin ravines, though in the 1990s it was only recorded at four sites: Yarmuk River, Wadi al Mujib, Wadi Dana, and Jabal Umm Ishrin, and no sign of breeding was detected at these four sites (175 Andrews, I. J. (1995). The Birds of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Published privately, Musselburgh, Scotland. Close ). In Kazakhstan, breeding populations existed in the 1800s in the Mugodschary Hills and Southern Ural Mountains, but they have since been extirpated (9 Glutz von Blotzheim, N., K. M. Bauer, and E. Bezzel (1971). Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas. Band 4. Falconiformes. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Close ). In Europe, there were breeding colonies in mainland Croatia, mostly along the Dalmatian coast, but today it is only found on the Kvarner Islands (176 Pavokovic, G., and G. Susic (2006). Population viability analysis of (Eurasian) Griffon vulture Gyps fulvus in Croatia. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Conservation and Management of Vulture Populations (D. C. Houston and S. E. Piper, Editors), Natural History Museum of Crete & WWF-Hellas, Salonica, Greece. pp. 75–86. Close ). It was also present as a breeder on several Greek islands—Corfu and Oxeia in the Ionian Sea, and Rhodes, Euboea, and Thasos in the Aegean Sea (177 Handrinos, G. I. (1985). The status of vultures in Greece. In Conservation studies on raptors (I. Newton and R. D. Chancellor, Editors), International Council for Bird Preservation, Techincal Publication No. 5. Cambridge, UK. pp. 103–115. Close , 178 Handrinos, G., and T. Akriotis (1997). The Birds of Greece. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ; Tsiakiris, personal communication)—but it is not present today. In Romania, there were once breeding populations in the Dobrogea region and in the Carpathian Mountains; some pairs nested near the Danube River (179 Von Dombrowski, R. R. (1910). Ornis Romaniae; die Vogelwelt Rumänien’s systematisch und biologisch-geographisch beschrieben (Forsetzung). Buletinul Societății de Șciințe din București-România 19(1/2):1272–1463. Close ); all these populations have disappeared. The Eurasian Griffon nested in the Dniester River Valley (Ukraine) in the 1800s, but they have since been extirpated (180 Tsvelykh, A. N., B. A. Appak, M. M. Beskaravainy, S. Yu. Kostin, and M. A. Osipova (2018). Vultures of the Ukrainian Fauna. Frankfurt Zoological Society and Institut zoologii Natsional'noy akademii nauk Ukrainy. Ukrainskogo Fitosotsiologicheskogo Tsentra Nauchnoye izdaniye 188, Kiev. Close ).

In Italy, populations have been reintroduced in the Eastern Alps, the Apennines, Pollino National Park, and Sicily (181 Genero F. (2006). Status of the Eurasian Griffon vulture Gyps fulvus in Italy in 2005. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Conservation and Management of Vulture Populations. 14-16 November 2005, Thessaloniki, Greece (D. C. Houston and S.E. Piper, Editors), Natural History Museum of Crete & WWF Greece, Athens, Greece. pp. 108–115. Close ). Populations are also being reintroduced in the Grands Causses and Mediterranean Alps of France (182 Terrasse, M. (2006). Long term reintroduction projects of Griffon Gyps fulvus and Black Vultures Aegypius monachus in France. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Conservation and Management of Vulture Populations. 14–16 November 2005, Thessaloniki, Greece (D. C. Houston and S. E. Piper, Editors), Natural History Museum of Crete and WWF Greece, Athens, Greece. pp. 98–107. Close ), in Bulgaria (183 Stoynov, E., E. Kmetova-Biro, G. Stoyanov, H. Peshev, I. Ivanov, I. Stoev, L. Bonchev, N. Vangelova, Z. Nikolova, L. Iankov, D. Parvanov, and A. Grozdanov (2018). Population Boost of the Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus (Hablizl, 1783)(Accipitridae) in Bulgaria Based on Reintroductions. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 12: 59–65. Close ), and in Israel (109 Efrat, R., O. Hatzofe, Y. Miller, and O. Berger-Tal (2020). Determinants of survival in captive-bred Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus after their release to the wild. Conservation Science and Practice 2: e308. Close ). Small populations on Sardinia (184 Schenk, H., M. Aresu, and G. Serra (1987). Sull’ecologia e sulla conservazione del Grifone (Gyps fulvus) nella Sardegna nord-occidentale, 1971-1984. Supplemento Ricerche di Biologia della Selvaggina 12: 217–233. Close , 181 Genero F. (2006). Status of the Eurasian Griffon vulture Gyps fulvus in Italy in 2005. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Conservation and Management of Vulture Populations. 14-16 November 2005, Thessaloniki, Greece (D. C. Houston and S.E. Piper, Editors), Natural History Museum of Crete & WWF Greece, Athens, Greece. pp. 108–115. Close ) and Cyprus (185 Iezekiel, S., D. E. Bakaloudis, and C. G. Vlachos (2004). The status and conservation of Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus in Cyprus. In Raptors Worldwide. Proceedings of the 6th World Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls May 2003, Budapest, Hungary (R. D. Chancellor and B.-U. Meyburg, Editors), World Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls and MME/BirdLife Hungary, Penti Kft. Budapest, Hungary. pp. 67–73. Close ) have been reinforced with the introduction of additional birds. There is a reintroduction program at Jbel Moussa (northern Morocco). The program began with the release of five Eurasian Griffon in 2017 (186 Serra Sánchez, E., and H. Elgatem (2021). Le vautour fauve reprend son cycle de reproduction au maroc après 40 ans. BirdLife Africa Newsletter 4:2–3. Close ).

In October 2008, the Balearic Islands (Spain) received an influx of approximately 100 juvenile Eurasian Griffon, probably caused by strong winds. They settled on Majorca Island and bred for the first time in 2012 (187 Garriga i Mari, E. (2009). Invasio de les Illes per voltors forasters. Es Busqueret 18: 37–43. Close ,188 Muntaner, J. (2012). El voltor lleonat, nova especie nidificant a les Balears. Es Busqueret 30: 8–12. Close , 87 Camiña, A., J. Mayol, and J. Muntaner (2015). El buitre leonado, Gyps fulvus, en islas del Mediterráneo: colonización y asentamiento en las Islas Baleares. In Llibre Verd de Protecció d’Espècies a les Balears (Govern de les Illes Balears, Editors), Monografies de la Societat d’Història Natural de les Balears, Illes Balears, Spain. pp. 255–262. Close ).

Between 1989 and 1999, the Spanish population grew more in those sectors where it was denser. This increase only led to a small increase in the range of the species, suggesting the limiting effect of the availability of nesting sites on the expansion of the species (189 Parra, J., and J. L. Tellería (2004). The increase in the Spanish population of griffon vulture Gyps fulvus during 1989-1999: effects of food and nest site availability. Bird Conservation International 14(1): 33–41. Close ). Between the first (190 Donázar, J. A., and F. Genero (1997). Gyps fulvus Griffon Vulture. In The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance (E. J. M. Hagemeijer and M. J. Blair, Editors), T & A D Poyser, London, United Kingdom. pp. 141. Close ) and the second European atlas (191 Margalida, A., and S. Herrando (2020). Gyps fulvus Griffon Vulture. In European Breeding Atlas 2. Distribution, Abundance and Change (V. Keller, S. Herrando, P. Voříšek, M. Franch, M. Kipson, P. Milanesi, D. Martí, M. Anton, A. Klvaňová, M. V. Kalyakin, H. G. Bauer and R. P. B. Foppen, Editors), European Bird Census Coiuncil & Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. pp. 442–443. Close ), there has been a moderate increase (index change = +6.4) in the presence of Eurasian Griffon across the continent, with a higher number of 50 km x 50 km squares occupied by breeding populations in the Iberian Peninsula and a lower number in the Balkan Peninsula (191 Margalida, A., and S. Herrando (2020). Gyps fulvus Griffon Vulture. In European Breeding Atlas 2. Distribution, Abundance and Change (V. Keller, S. Herrando, P. Voříšek, M. Franch, M. Kipson, P. Milanesi, D. Martí, M. Anton, A. Klvaňová, M. V. Kalyakin, H. G. Bauer and R. P. B. Foppen, Editors), European Bird Census Coiuncil & Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. pp. 442–443. Close ). The number of autumn migrants increased at the Strait of Gibraltar from the 1970s to the 1990s, probably in relation with population increases in Spain and France. However, in the Middle East, the number of autumn migrants at Eilat declined from the 1980s to the 1990s, likely related to the decline observed in the Balkans between 1980–2019 (192 Dobrev, D., R. Tsiakiris, T. Skartsi, V. Dobrev, V. Arkumarev, K. Stara, A. Stamenov, N. Probonas, T. Kominos, A. Galanaki, E. Kret, B. Hallmann, B. Grubac, G. Susic, S. Marinkovic, I. Hribsek, I., S. Skoric, H. Jerrentrup, V. Lucic, S. Kapelj, G. Stoyanov, S. Zakkak, H. Hristov, S. Stoychev, L. Sidiropoulos, T. Bino, and D. Demerdzhiev (2021). Long-term size and range changes of the Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus population in the Balkans: a review. Bird Conservation International Close ). See Movements and Migration.