Yellow-billed kites in a tree. ©Michael Manja Williams.

The project will involve field surveys in six states across Nigeria's major ecological zones over 20 months to collect data on vulture sightings, habitats and weather. Historical records from 2016-2023 from the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project will also be analysed to provide broader temporal and spatial context. Satellite data on vegetation, climate and land use will be gathered. Statistical analysis will examine population trends over time, spatial distribution patterns across Nigeria and relationships between vulture abundance and environmental variables such as temperature, land use, human population density and habitat type. Spatial modelling will predict potential distribution changes and identify priority habitats. Non-invasively collected fallen feathers will be analysed for environmental contaminants using atomic absorption spectroscopy, providing insights into pollutant levels and associations with vulture population declines. By addressing knowledge gaps, the research aims to inform targeted conservation through evidence-based threat identification. Findings will update international databases and guide protective policymaking. The holistic investigation of population dynamics, habitat preferences and environmental threats impacting vultures across diverse Nigerian ecosystems intends to influence decision-making and safeguard these ecologically important scavenging species.

Yellow-billed kites and pied crows. ©Michael Manja Williams.

Header: yellow-billed kites perching at a foraging site at Ado-Ekit. ©Michael Manja Williams.