Space Use and Time Budget in Two Populations of Griffon Vultures in Contrasting Landscapes

Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) adapt their foraging and home range behaviors to environmental conditions, with those in the Causses region exhibiting significantly higher activity levels compared to their Pyrenean counterparts. Caussean vultures spent 35% more time flying daily, landed twice as often to feed, and were 67% more active on the ground. Their movements appeared influenced by thermal availability, suggesting that breeding status, seasonality of food resources, and meteorological conditions play crucial roles in shaping their behavior. However, the study's inability to disentangle the effects of breeding constraints from environmental factors limits definitive conclusions.

Fluhr, J., Benhamou, S., Peyrusque, D., & Duriez, O. (2021). Space Use and Time Budget in Two Populations of Griffon Vultures in Contrasting Landscapes. Journal of Raptor Research, 55(3). https://doi.org/10.3356/jrr-20-14