Copulatory behavior of the bearded vulture

We describe copulation activity by Bearded Vultures (Gypaetus barbatus) at nesting sites in the Pyrenees, northern Spain, between 1993 and 1995. Pairs copulated for an average period of 67 days (range: 50-90) prior to egg laying. Seventy-five percent of attempts ended in successful copulation. Pairs displayed a daily bimodal pattern of copulation, with copulations occurring most frequently in the evening. Low levels of opportunities for extra-pair encounters (0.02 intrusions hr(-1)) were obtained despite the high density of reproductive individuals present. The high copulation rate observed may be explained by the potential risk of extra-pair copulations occurring while a member of the pair is away foraging, an activity which takes up as much as 65% of time each day. This species also showed a pattern of pair attention similar to that of other species of raptors in which males guard their females during the fertile period.