Bronx Zoo Welcomes First King Vulture Chick in 30 Years

BRONX, New York — The Bronx Zoo has announced the hatching of its first king vulture chick in three decades. The chick, born on February 25, 2025, is being hand-raised using a puppet that resembles an adult vulture, a method employed to prevent the young bird from imprinting on human caretakers.

This innovative technique was developed by Bronx Zoo ornithologists over 40 years ago, originally used for hand-raising Andean condor chicks. The baby vulture’s feeding involves a specially designed puppet to ensure that the chick nurtures its instinctual behaviors rather than forming attachments to humans. Bronx Zoo Curator of Ornithology Chuck Cerbini explained, “At this stage of development, our animal care staff are feeding the chick with the Bronx Zoo-made puppet once a day, and we are working to ensure it does not imprint on humans.”

King vultures can sometimes neglect their offspring, making it vital for zoo staff to carefully feed and care for the chick. In addition to puppet feeding, an adult king vulture is kept in an adjacent enclosure to expose the chick to natural vulture behaviors. “That’s another important step we take to ensure the chick grows into a healthy adult bird and is properly socialized as a king vulture,” Cerbini said.

The new king vulture chick, which remains unnamed, is the offspring of a 55-year-old father and a mother born in 2005. Zoo officials emphasize the importance of preserving the father’s genetics, as he has only one other living offspring. Once fully grown, adult king vultures can boast impressive wingspans of over six and a half feet.

The Bronx Zoo has dedicated efforts to creating a nurturing environment for this young bird, with zoo staff artists contributing to the puppet’s design, ensuring it closely matches the physical characteristics of a real vulture. If all goes well, this chick will thrive and join the ranks of the species, continuing a legacy that is crucial for the king vulture population.