The cinereous vulture

About 40 species of birds of prey are found in our country. The diversity of predatory birds within the Badkhyz State Nature Reserve is truly remarkable. Each of these birds has unique behavioral characteristics and plays a vital role in maintaining the harmony of nature.

For scientists dedicated to studying the nature of Badkhyz, or tourists wishing to see wonders like Yeroylanduz, Gyzylzhar, and the Badkhyz pistachio groves, excellent opportunities open up for close observation of the cinereous vulture. This is because the cinereous vulture, soaring high in the sky, is frequently encountered here alongside griffon vultures, golden eagles, harriers, and other birds. They can mostly be seen in nests built on large pistachio trees. When viewed from a distance, its massive size is immediately apparent; when sitting on hills, these birds sometimes resemble rather large lambs. A perched vulture stands over one meter tall, its wingspan approaches 3 meters, and its weight reaches 6 to 7.5 kilograms. The tail feathers of this giant bird are black, while the rest of the body plumage is dark brown. The bird's head and neck remain bare, without feathers. In accordance with the ecological characteristics of each predatory bird species, some hunt rodents, protecting trees and herbaceous plants from pests, while other species prey on injured and sick wild animals. There are also birds that feed on the remains of wild animals that died in the steppes from diseases or other causes; these are called nature's custodians. The cinereous vulture itself is one of the prominent species performing this sanitation role in the wild. In the Badkhyz region, besides the cinereous vulture, the bearded vulture, Egyptian vulture, and griffon vulture also act as regulators of natural cleanliness. Beyond Badkhyz, the cinereous vulture is found in the Greater Balkan, the Kopetdag, as well as in the vast expanses between the Amu Darya, Murghab, and other rivers. However, its numbers in the wild are extremely low. For this reason, it was included in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the fourth edition of the Red Data Book of Turkmenistan. This astonishing bird of prey leads a sedentary, resident lifestyle in Badkhyz. They build nests on the old and healthy trunks of pistachio trees, on the edges of steep cliffs in places like Gyzylzhar and Yeroylanduz, on the sandy areas of depressions, and at the base of black saxaul. The spots chosen by the birds for nest building are most often located near water sources; the entire surrounding area is clearly visible from the nest, and the impact of wind currents is gentle here. Cinereous vultures use the same nest for several years. As the size and weight of the nest increase year after year, the strength of its base weakens, and during a severe storm, it can tilt to the side. After that, the birds build a new nest. Many small birds seek shelter in the new nests built by the vultures, and among them, sparrows win out, occupying the voids in the lower walls of the nest. It might seem that the cinereous vulture would fight off these sparrow "interlopers," but this is not the case; on the contrary, it protects the sparrows from the threat of larger predators. In nature, the peaceful coexistence of birds of prey with passerines is frequently observed. The number of nesting sparrows here reaches 7 to 8 pairs. Vultures lay eggs in the first half of April, and in some years, in the second ten days of March. They lay only a single egg. This is one of the reasons for the slow recovery of the birds' natural population. From mid-to-late May, chicks hatch from the eggs laid at various times. In June and July—during the scorching summer heat—the adult birds spread their wings over their chicks to protect them from overheating, creating shade until the evening coolness sets in. Both parent birds participate in caring for the offspring. As the chicks grow, their white downy feathers are replaced by a real coat of feathers. In August, they fully fledge, and from a distance, they resemble adult vultures. This indicates that the new generation will soon take flight and join the adult population.

Cinereous vultures are among the most voracious scavengers. After large predators like the marbled polecat, hyena, and wolf hunt ungulates—such as goitered gazelles and wild argali sheep—take what they need, and move aside, the vultures are among the first to claim the prey. This is because as soon as the sun's rays begin to spread widely, they rise to a height of 1 to 2 km and scan the colossal expanses below. In the winter season, during frosty, cold, and harsh years, cinereous vultures migrate far from their primary habitats in search of food. Sometimes, in hilly areas, one can spot vultures perched together with griffon vultures, crows, and other birds. In the Badkhyz region and adjacent territories, the population of wild ungulates is sufficient, and thousands of small livestock graze on the pastures. Thus, in their constant search for food resources, cinereous vultures provide immense benefit as nature's custodians, preventing the spread of various diseases, including among wild animals.

We, as scientific researchers, by keeping records of cinereous vulture nests among the Badkhyz pistachio groves, observe the vultures in their large nests caring for their new offspring and watch their young chicks through binoculars. The stable condition of their population in the reserve demonstrates the harmonious development and balance between nature and this species.