The Vulture Hide - Central Drakensberg

05/06/2026

With the jackal gone, the vultures waste no time. After a long wait and careful observation, they descend to feast.

03/06/2026

🦅 Today's Special Visitor – A Bearded Vulture!
What an incredible sighting! Today we were privileged to welcome one of the Drakensberg's most iconic and elusive residents – the Bearded Vulture.
With its striking appearance, distinctive beard-like facial feathers, and impressive wingspan, this magnificent bird is a true symbol of our mountain wilderness. Seeing a Bearded Vulture is always a special moment and a reminder of the importance of protecting these endangered birds and their habitat.
Have you ever been lucky enough to spot a Bearded Vulture in the wild?

NatureLovers CentralDrakensberg WildlifeEncounter 🦅✨

02/06/2026

The yearling vultures seem to have made themselves right at home! 😴🦅
With full crops and not a care in the world, they might just decide to spend the night at the Vulture Hide. After all, why fly home when dinner was served right on your doorstep?
Life's tough when you're a young vulture... eat, relax, snooze, repeat! 😏

02/06/2026

02/06/2026

Less than 2 hours ago, a carcass was placed out for the vultures... 😏
Fast forward to now, and there's very little evidence left! These incredible clean-up crews wasted no time, descending in numbers and making quick work of the feast. Nature's recyclers at their finest – efficient, fascinating, and always hungry!
🦅 A reminder of just how important vultures are in keeping our ecosystems healthy and clean.
🦅

02/06/2026

🥚🦅 Did you know?
A vulture egg takes nearly two months to hatch, with both parents sharing incubation duties. Most vultures lay just one egg each breeding season, making every chick incredibly precious.
The egg is usually cream to white in colour, often marked with brown speckles, and is carefully protected in a nest perched high on cliffs. Once hatched, the chick can remain dependent on its parents for up to six months before becoming fully independent.
With such a slow breeding cycle, every egg, chick, and adult vulture plays a vital role in the survival of these remarkable birds.
Nature's patient parents at work! 🦅🥚❤️
Drakensberg NatureLovers VultureHide

31/05/2026

❄️🦅 Why do vultures breed in winter?
Winter provides the perfect conditions for raising the next generation. With more stable weather, excellent flying conditions, reduced disturbance, and reliable food sources, vultures can successfully incubate and raise their chicks. By spring, the young birds are ready to take to the skies when conditions are at their best.
Nature's timing is remarkable – winter isn't just a season of survival for vultures, it's a season of new life.

BirdConservation VultureHide WinterBreeding

30/05/2026

A stunning video regarding the Bearded Vulture.

30/05/2026

A slow start to Saturday at the Vulture Hide... but not without a little drama! 😄

There was a scuffle with a jackal, a crow determined to irritate everyone, and even the occasional disagreement between the vultures themselves. Despite the entertainment, the main focus remains the same — eating!

With full crops and plenty of food available, the vultures are now settling in for a well-deserved rest. Another fascinating day in the lives of these incredible birds. 🦅

26/05/2026

A slow and quiet start to the day at the Vulture Hide, but after a few hours the skies came alive as the vultures flocked in.
The carcass disappeared quickly and the vultures now sit with full crops, resting after a hearty feast. A few determined birds are still carefully searching the area, making sure not a single morsel is left behind.
Another fascinating day watching nature’s clean-up crew at work in the beautiful Drakensberg.