Black vulture breeding pairs rise in Portugal as sixth colony is found

Between 127 and 131 black vulture pairs nested in the monitored colonies in 2026, up from 119-126 the year before, and fledglings rose from 56 to an estimated 61-68. A new colony at Monfortinho, in central Portugal, brings the known total to six; it has two pairs and produced one fledgling. The Tejo Internacional area still holds over half the pairs. The Douro Internacional colony is recovering after the August 2025 wildfire, though results differ between colonies. Wildfires, poisoning, illegal killing, food scarcity and poorly planned renewable-energy infrastructure remain threats, and at least 33 monitored pairs breed on the Spanish side of the border.