Nest fall, recovery and impressive first flight - Meet the Cinereous Vulture Charneco

One nest among more than 220

The LIFE Aegypius Return project has been monitoring Cinereous Vulture colonies in Portugal in great detail since 2023. During each breeding season – which runs from January to September – all known nests are carefully followed, requiring many hours of dedication. The task is particularly demanding in the Tejo Internacional Nature Park, whose cross-border colony has around 220 known Cinereous Vulture nests, and recorded over 60 breeding pairs in 2024. Monitoring is carried out by SPEA (Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds), with the support of rangers from ICNF (Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests) and Quercus.

Monitoring of Cinereous Vultures in Tejo Internacional Nature Park ©Milene Matos/VCF

As part of the monitoring work, technicians Paulo Monteiro and João Esteves from SPEA knew that a particular nest in Herdade da Cubeira held a well-developed chick. On 9 July, when it was around 80 days old, it was observed beginning to fly, flapping its wings and rising a few centimetres above the nest. Everything seemed fine, but on 17 July, the nest was empty and the chick was named Charneco.

Charneco is the Portuguese common name given to the small corvid Cyanopica cooki, also known as the Iberian magpie. This species is often associated with the disappearance of the eggs and young of other birds, although perhaps unfairly, as scientific evidence does not point to a predominantly carnivorous diet. Nevertheless, the sudden and mysterious disappearance of the Cinereous Vulture chick earned it this somewhat ironic name.

Finding Charneco

The SPEA team intensively searched the area around the nest with binoculars and telescopes, but could not detect Charneco. However, the nest was partially collapsed. Since the chick was not yet old enough to fly, it was likely to have fallen and remained defenceless on the ground. Paulo and João therefore approached the site and eventually found Charneco on the ground, about 60 metres away from its natal holm oak.

The ICNF was immediately contacted and promptly provided rangers to help capture Charneco and transport it to CERAS (Centre for the Study and Recovery of Wild Animals, managed by Quercus), where it was examined by the veterinary team.

With no injuries or fractures, Charneco needed rest and safety. He remained at CERAS recovering until 19 September, when he was returned to the wild, equipped with a GPS/GSM transmitter.

Rescue of the Cinereous Vulture Charneco ©João Esteves/SPEA

Return to the wild

On the day of its release, Charneco was full of energy and determined to take its first flight in freedom, taking off confidently and showing excellent flying skills.

Release of the Cinereous Vulture Charneco ©Paulo Monteiro/SPEA

Since then, Charneco has remained very active and faithful to the Tejo Internacional territory. Sometimes it stays very close to the river, reminiscent of his fellow vulture Natator, but fortunately – so far – without setbacks.

Movements during the first week of the Cinereous Vulture Charneco back in the wild.

Acknowledgements

As always, this successful case was only possible with the collaboration of all the people and organisations involved: SPEA for detection and rescue, ICNF for transport, and CERAS/Quercus for rehabilitation.

The LIFE Aegypius Return partners also wish to thank all those who took part in Charneco’s release: ICNF, SPEA, CERAS/Quercus, VCF (Vulture Conservation Foundation), University of Coimbra, Herdade da Cubeira, and Sérgio Saldanha.