Bearded Vulture

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Bearded Vulture
File:Bartgeier Gypaetus barbatus front Richard Bartz.png
Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Afroaves
Superorder: Accipitrimorphae
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Subfamily: {{{1}}}
Genus: {{{1}}}
Storr, 1784
Species: G. barbatus
Binomial name
Gypaetus barbatus
Linnaeus, 1758
Subspecies

G. b. barbatus
G. b. meridionalis [2]

File:Beardedvulturerange.png
Range of G. barbatus

Other names[edit]

Lammergeier or Lammergeyer.

Description[edit]

Length is 100–115 centimetres (39–45 in).[3] Huge and long-winged. In strong light, when upperparts look pale and merge with mountainside, often best spotted by dark shadowing moving over the ground [4].

Adult: underbelly light, whitish with a varying degree of buffish-yellow or often rather deep rufous-buff tinge (acquired through sand-bathing!), contrasting with its dark underwing [4]. In good light, lesser and median under-wing-coverts are darkest, being jet-black. Upperparts are lead-grey with pale feather shafts [4].

Females are larger than males [5].

Juvenile: Body is dull grey with contrasting dark grey head, neck and upper breast (like that of a Hooded Crow). Upperparts are not uniformly dark with lighter shafts (as on the adult birds) but are variegated; mantle, rump and some wing-coverts light [4].

Immature: Adult pattern is attained in about five years, subadults keeping the dark head rather long [4].

Similar species[edit]

Behaviour[edit]

Diet[edit]

It can eat parts of the carcass that other birds cannot digest, including bones, which it smashes by dropping them onto rocks from the air [5]. The food it always scavenges always contains bones and it will discard the flesh, preferring to extract the marrow [6]. It also drops live tortoises on rocks [6].

Calls[edit]

Usually silent; but during aerial displays at breeding sites, utters shrill, loud whistling notes or a trill [4].

Reproduction[edit]

Its nest is a platform of twigs with central hollow lined with grass, hair, skin, and bones, in a cave or on a cliff ledge [5].

Distribution/habitat[edit]

Mountainous areas and high steppes between 3,300-14,500 ft (1,000-4,500m) [6]. Nonmigrant [6].

References[edit]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2009). Gypaetus barbatus. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 7 August 2011.
  2. ^ "Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus)". The Internet Bird Collection. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  3. ^ Arlott, Norman (2009). A Field Guide to the Birds of the Palearctic Non-Passerines. Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. ISBN 9780007155651.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Mullarney, Killian (1999). Birds of Europe. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691050538. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c Harrison, Colin and Greensmith, Alan (1993). Birds of the World. Dorling Kindersley Inc. ISBN 1564582965.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b c d France, Peter; et al. (2007). Bird: The Definitive Visual Guide. Dorling Kindersley Inc. ISBN 1564582957. {{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)

External links[edit]

Projects

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File:Paw 1.png This article is part of Project Aves, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each bird, including made-up species.
File:Accipitriformes diversity.png This article is part of Project Accipitriformes, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each diurnal raptor, including made-up species.
File:Accipitridae diversity.png This article is part of Project Accipitridae, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each accipitrid, including made-up species.
File:Juvenile kagu.png This article is part of Project Monotypic Genera, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each monotypic genera, including made-up species.
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