The environmental NGO Palombar, our partners in project LIFE Aegypius return, has discovered a fourth Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) nest in the Douro International area, where the smallest and most fragile colony of this species in Portugal is located. This is the largest of the European vultures and is in danger of extinction in Portugal.
The discovery was made as part of the monitoring of this species' 2024 breeding season. Since the beginning of February, technicians have been monitoring the Cinereous Vulture pairs already known to be nesting in the Douro International Nature Park. This breeding season, they have confirmed activity in the species' three existing nests in the region and now discovered one more. At first, Palombar's technicians found an adult Cinereous Vulture in the new nest. Subsequently, a pair was observed finalising the construction of the nest and in the process of mating.
This is an important discovery, given that this is the smallest Cinereous Vulture colony in Portugal, a species that only returned to nest in the Douro International in 2012, when the first nesting pair was recorded.
"Since this is a young pair (one of the individuals is still a sub-adult) there may not be breeding success this year, but in the next few weeks it will be possible to confirm that the only egg the species lays each breeding season has been laid and incubated", explained Iván Gutiérrez, a biologist at Palombar. "However, whether or not breeding success is confirmed this year, the fact that there is a new pair nesting in the Douro International is already excellent news", he added.
The other three pairs of Cinereous Vulturez confirmed to be nesting in the Douro International Nature Park are already incubating their eggs.
The LIFE Aegypius return project began in September 2022 and its main objectives are to increase the Cinereous Vulture population and improve its conservation status in Portugal. Within six years (2022-2027), it aims to double its breeding population in Portugal from the current 40 breeding pairs to 80, as well as increasing the number of colonies from four to five.
This project is being developed by a consortium that includes the following entities: Vulture Conservation Foundation - the project's coordinating organisation -, Palombar - Nature Conservation and Rural Heritage, Herdade da Contenda, the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds, the League for the Protection of Nature, the Transhumance and Nature Association, Fundación Naturaleza y Hombre, the National Republican Guard and the National Association of Rural Owners, Game Management and Biodiversity. It is 75% funded by the European Union's LIFE Programme and co-financed by Viridia - Conservation in Action and MAVA - Foundation pour la Nature.