白兀鷲的羽毛是白色的,飛羽黑色。它們的身體有時有些泥色是與其習性有關。喙幼長,上頷端有鉤。鼻孔很長。頸部羽毛很長,雙翼很尖,當中以第三主羽最長。尾巴呈楔狀。爪子直而且長,第三及第四趾有小蹼。指名亞種的喙是黑色的,而印度亞種N. p. ginginianus的則較為淡色或黃色,但這種變化仍需更多證據支持。[2]面部皮膚是黃色的。[3]雛鳥是黑色或深褐色的,有黑白色的斑。[3]成年的白兀鷲全長85厘米,翼展1.7米。它們重約2公斤,但N. p. majorensis則平均重2.4公斤。[4]
白兀鷲是群居的[22],鳥巢會不斷再用。它們很多時都是單獨或成對的行動。它們是一夫一妻制的,夫妻的關係可以維持多於一個繁殖季節。成年雄鷲在雌鷲生蛋前後很多時都會留在其身邊。[23]它們會在峭壁、建築物及樹上築巢。[2]N. p. ginginianus及N. p. majorensis也會在地上築巢。[24][25][26]印度群落的繁殖季節是於2月至4月。雙親都會孵蛋,孵化期為42天。[3]3-5天後就會孵化第二隻雛鷲,但時間越長,其生存率就越低。[27]在鳥巢緊迫的地方,雛鷲有時會走到其他鳥巢尋找食物。[28]西班牙群落的幼鷲會在90-110天大時換羽及離開鳥巢。[29]幼鷲離開鳥巢後會到遠達500公里以外的地方。[30][31]到了4-5歲大時,它們就會擁有成鳥的羽毛。飼養的白兀鷲壽命可達37歲。[32]
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