Critically endangered red-headed vulture sighted in Munsiyari
Critically endangered red-headed vulture sighted in Munsiyari
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Oct. 6
A red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), a critically endangered bird species of the Himalayan region, was sighted by a team of bird lovers associated with the MONAL organisation in Munsiyari on October 5, the organisation said in a press note.
“Our team comprising Surendra Panwar, Kavinder Panwar and Prakash Rana spotted the bird in the Patalthod forest at an altitude of 2,650 metres in Munsiyari,” said Surendra Panwar, director of the MONAL NGO in Munsiyari.
According to Panwar, the red-headed vulture is classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List and is considered a threatened species in the Indian subcontinent.
“Its distinctive bare reddish head, powerful bill, dark plumage and contrasting pale areas make it one of the most striking vultures found in India,” Panwar said.
He said that as the bird was spotted in the open grassy slopes of the Patalthod forest, the team was able to photograph and document it.
