Ruppell’s Vulture in the Straits. Several birds have been recorded recently in Tangier Peninsula: 3 Rüppell’s Vulture at Jbel Bouhachem Natural Park with 5 Griffon Vultures on 10 May PM, and four other birds at Jbel Moussa along with 139 Griffon Vultures the next day. So 7 Rüppell’s Vulture have crossed the Straits in just two days (Rachid El Khamlichi, Mohamed Amezian, Edith & Théo Meyer, Mohamed Karim El Haoua – http://moroccanbirds.blogspot.com/2014/05/gyps-rueppellii-jbel-moussa.html). Three others were at Tetouan on 24 May (Rachid El Khamlichi, Mohamed Amezian – http://moroccanbirds.blogspot.com/2014/05/gyps-rueppellii-tetouan.html).

There is an apparent increase in the sightings in northern Morocco and in the Iberian Peninsula while the species is severely declining in its breeding range, especially in West Africa (from where most of our birds are likely originated). They have been probably overlooked here in Morocco owing to the lack of regular observations at the Strait of Gibraltar and other places (Mohamed Amezian)