Observations on breeding behaviour of a pair of endangered egyptian vultures neophron percnopterus  (Linnaeus, 1758) over three breeding seasons in the plains of Punjab, India

Abstract

The present study has been conducted to document information on breeding behaviour of Egyptian Vultures Neophrons percnopterus from Punjab. This study is based on 688 hours of video records documenting breeding behaviour of a pair of endangered Egyptian Vultures Neophrons percnopterus occupying the same nesting site over three consecutive breeding seasons from 2015 to 2017. The site is located in the hollow of a ventilation window of the Space Observatory in Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab. During the third breeding period (February to August 2017), the nest activity has been extensively video-recorded in egg laying and incubation period, and chick rearing period using a Dome CCTV Camera. Both parents participated in nest building, and of the total recorded incubation time of 339.39h over 23 days the nest was attended for 199.35 and 139.46h by the female and male respectively, and unattended for 0.58h. The incubation period was 42 to 43 days, and the egg laying/hatching intervals between eggs/chicks was five days. A total of six young ones hatched and fledged from three broods of two eggs each. All chicks survived to fledging and no mortality or siblicide of younger chick occurred due to aggression/starvation by elder chick. The high fledging success rate indicates a healthy habitat and food source in the nesting area.