Aegypius monachus, commonly called the Cinereous Vulture, Black Vulture, Monk Vulture, or Eurasian Black Vulture, is a diurnal raptor from the family Accipitridae. It is also one of the two largest Old World Vultures.

Season: March to April in India. Parental investment: Both sexes cooperate in all aspects of rearing of the young. Nest: An enormous platform of sticks, usually built on a high tree. Most nesting trees are found along cliffs. On average, nests are 1.45–2 m (4.8–6.6 ft) across and 1–3 m (3.3–9.8 ft) deep in size. They increase in size over the years, however, as a pair uses it repeatedly. It is often decorated with dung and animal skins. Clutch size: 1. In rare cases, 2 eggs may be laid. Eggs: Sometimes pure white in colour, mostly white but marked with deep red, brown or purplish brown. Incubation period: 50–56 days. Fledgelings: Semi-altrical.

In India, resident in the Himalayas. In winters, a widespread winter visitor to the peninsula.

Maximum longevity: 39 years (captivity).Average longevity: 20 years or less in the wild.

100-110cm.

Very large in size, adults are black or blackish brown in colour. Their head is partially naked with crown, occipit, cheeks and lores covered with fur-like feathers. While their naked pinkish neck has a pale brown ruff. Fleshy wattles absent. Broad, parallel-edged wings held flat while soaring. A pale band may be seen across greater underwing coverts. Sexes alike. Juveniles blacker and more uniform than adults.

Largely solitary being found alone or in pairs. At large carcasses or feeding sites, small groups may congregate. These groups may sometimes consist of as many as 12 vultures, with unconfirmed reports of up to 30 in very old reports.Cinereous Vultures are usually silent. Their voice is rarely used and unspecialised.Calls may include croaks, grunts, and hisses when feeding at carcasses; also querulous mewing, loud squalling or roaring during breeding season.

Its diet consists mainly of carrion from medium-sized or large mammal carcasses, although snakes and insects have been recorded as food items. Live prey is rarely taken. Occassionally believed to feed on live tortoises. The birds drop the tortoises from heights and extract the tortoise flesh from under the carapace.

They are habitant of open savannah and semi-desert country.

A. Global: Landmass Type: ContinentHabitat systems: Terrestrial. Forest Dependency: Low. Altitude: 300 - 4500 m. Altitudinal limits: (max) 4900 m. General Habitats: Forest - Temperate; Shrubland - Mediterranean-type Shrubby Vegetation; Grassland - Temperate, Subtropical/Tropical Dry. Breeding Habitats: Forest - Temperate; Grassland - Subtropical/tropical (lowland) dry, Temperate; Shrubland - Mediterranean-type.B. In India:Open Savannah and semi-desert country.

Not endemic.

14,000 - 20,000 mature individuals (2004)

Decreasing.

IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened

Red List Category & Criteria: Near Threatened (ver 3.1)Year Published: 2008Assessor/s: BirdLife InternationalReviewer/s: Taylor, J., Butchart, S., Pople, R., Burfield, I.Contributor/s: Baral, H., Katzner, T., Burfield, I., Yasmeen, R., Batbayar, N., Khan, A., Galushin, V., McGrady, M., Fremuth, W., Parveen, A., Brunner, A.

The two main threats to the species are direct mortality caused by humans (either accidentally or deliberately) and decreasing availability of food. Humans hunt nests for eggs and birds for feathers. They also poison these birds to prevent predation related damages. The veterinary application of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Diclofenac, which has caused the near-extinction of several Gyps vultures in India, may have a negative impact on A. monachus.

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) India Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Global Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. AEWA (Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds) Listed Species:Yes. Appendix:II. IWPA (Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) Listed Species:Yes. IWPA (Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) Schedule:IV.