 Specifically, they have a significantly wider binocular field (30°, compared to the 20° of "Gyps" vultures), which is thought to help with the accurate placement and timing of the talons necessary to capture live prey.White-headed vulture populations have been declining since the early 1940s; it was classified as Vulnerable in the 2007 IUCN Red List.Recent indications that the species is rarer than previously thought have led to a status upgrade to Critically Endangered in 2015.