Their habitats include open plains, savannas, forests, coastal areas and villages. Only Hooded Vultures are common in forested regions, where they depend on the presence of human beings. Hooded vultures are silent birds. Vultures detect dead animals by sight and by the movements of other vultures and carrion eating birds. They sometimes gorge so heavily that they can scarcely fly.
Hooded Vultures are scavengers that consume food from a variety of sources.
Because of its relatively small size and weak bill it generally waits its turn at a carcass to pick up minor scraps left behind by other vultures. In towns or cities they search for food in refuse dumps and gutters. On seashores they feed at low tide on mussels, spiny lobsters, mollusks, dead fish and other stranded edibles. Vultures cannot expect to eat every day, as carcasses may not be available. So their crops and gizzards are distensible and can hold enough food to last for several days.