Camera Traps Reveal Causes of Nest Failure in Ghana’s Hooded Vultures
New research uncovers unexpected causes of egg and chick loss in one of Africa’s most threatened birds
Watching the watchers of death
High in the trees of coastal Ghana, the Hooded Vulture – a Critically Endangered scavenger once common across Africa – continues a fragile struggle for survival. A new study by researchers from the University of Cape Coast has used camera traps to reveal the private lives of these birds, providing unprecedented insight into their nesting ecology and the surprising reasons why so many fail to raise their young.
The team monitored eight active nests in the Cape Coast area using drones and solar-powered trail cameras. Their findings, published in Bird Conservation International, show that while overall breeding success was relatively high – with 75% of nests fledging a chick – the causes of failure were as tragic as they were unexpected. In some cases, adults accidentally crushed their own eggs while rearranging nest material. In another, parents consumed their chick, possibly after it became weak or unwell.
High nests, hidden lives
The vultures nested high in the forest canopy – at an average of almost 19 metres above the ground – on trees such as Indian Almond, Silk Cotton, and Giant Cola. These heights are significantly greater than those reported in earlier studies from Ghana’s savannas, reflecting differences in habitat and perhaps a strategy to avoid human disturbance. The birds favoured trees with dense canopy cover and nearby water, conditions that offer shade, safety, and a reliable microclimate.
Lead author Dr Justus Deikumah explains that such high nesting sites may be a sign of adaptation: “In urban areas like Cape Coast, many old trees have been cut down. The few that remain are vital not only for nesting but also for the vultures’ survival. Without them, these birds have nowhere left to breed.”
Eggs lost to accident – and to thinning shells
Two nests were lost to a bizarre and rarely documented accident: parents stepping on their own eggs. The cameras recorded adults shifting sticks and leaves, inadvertently cracking the fragile shells. The researchers suggest that this may reflect shell thinning caused by pesticide exposure, which weakens eggs and makes them more prone to breakage. Increased use of agricultural chemicals around Cape Coast, they warn, could be undermining the vultures’ reproductive success.
One pair re-laid and successfully fledged a chick after an initial failure, showing resilience and persistence in an increasingly hostile environment. But even where humans were not directly involved, natural fragility took its toll.
When survival instincts turn inward
Perhaps the most disturbing footage came from one nest where the adult vultures consumed their own chick. Whether this was true infanticide or scavenging of a dead nestling could not be confirmed, but similar cases have been reported among other raptor species when food is scarce or stress levels high. In this instance, however, food sources were abundant, suggesting the chick may have died of illness or weakness before being eaten.
“It’s a stark reminder that the challenges facing these birds are complex,” says co-author Joseph Daniels. “Behavioural stresses, toxins, or subtle environmental changes may all interact to affect breeding outcomes.”
Humans remain the greater threat
While the study documented natural causes of failure, it also uncovered human interference. One nest vanished entirely after witnesses saw people climb the tree, possibly to harvest the nest or its egg for traditional medicine or ritual use. Similar exploitation has been documented across West Africa, where vulture parts are traded for belief-based practices. With the species producing just one egg per year, such thefts can devastate already dwindling populations.
“These birds have a long association with humans,” says Dr Deikumah. “They live near our towns, feeding on waste and helping control disease. Yet this proximity now makes them vulnerable to persecution, poisoning, and the loss of their nesting trees.”
A call for protection – and patience
The researchers emphasise that saving Ghana’s Hooded Vultures will require protecting tall trees in urban areas, limiting pesticide use, and tackling the illegal trade in vulture parts. Education and outreach will be essential to shift cultural attitudes that still endanger these natural scavengers.
Despite grim observations, the study offers hope. Six of the eight nests succeeded, and the birds’ persistence in re-laying and renesting suggests resilience. Yet without decisive conservation action, that persistence may not be enough. The fate of this species – once Africa’s commonest vulture – now hangs by a thread woven from both human decisions and the fragile twigs of a nest high above Cape Coast.
November 2025
Read the full paper here
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