Interesting Facts About the Eagle

The Vulture

The vulture (in English: Vulture) is a bird of prey found across all continents except Antarctica and Oceania. Vultures are known for their sharp eyesight and ability to fly at high altitudes, and they primarily feed on carrion, making them ecologically significant. There are two main types of vultures: Old World vultures, which belong to the family Accipitridae—also including eagles, hawks, and kites—and New World vultures, which belong to the family Cathartidae.^[1]

New World Vultures

New World vultures have several distinctive traits. They do not build nests but instead lay their eggs in high rock crevices or tree hollows. Their heads are bald, lacking feathers, which prevents blood from sticking when the vulture inserts its head into a carcass. Feathers would encourage bacterial growth, while the bare head is exposed to sunlight that kills bacteria and protects the vulture from disease. Additionally, New World vultures lack a larynx and therefore can only produce hisses and grunts.^[2][3] Notable species of New World vultures include:^[3][4]

• Turkey Vulture (in English: Turkey Vulture): Scientifically known as Cathartes aura, it is the most widespread of the New World vultures. These vultures are relatively small, with a wingspan of about two meters. Their plumage is blackish-brown. The head of a juvenile turkey vulture is dark gray, turning bright red upon maturity. It also has a highly developed sense of smell, allowing it to be among the first to locate carrion.
• Black Vulture (in English: Black Vulture): Scientifically named Coragyps atratus, this species is one of the most common vultures and is sometimes called the carrion crow. It inhabits tropical and subtropical regions but often ranges into temperate zones. This stocky, entirely black bird measures about 60 centimeters in length, with short wings, a very short tail, and a featherless head—though the back of the neck is covered in feathers.
• King Vulture (in English: King Vulture): Known scientifically as Sarcoramphus papa, it lives in lowland tropical forests stretching from southern Mexico to Argentina. It is colorful, with its head and neck displaying shades of red, yellow, bluish, and gray. Its eyes are white with red rings, its upper plumage is orange, and its underside is white. The king vulture reaches a wingspan of two meters and a body length of about 80 centimeters.
• Andean Condor (in English: Andean Condors): Scientifically named Vultur gryphus, along with the California condor, it ranks among the largest flying birds. Male Andean condors can reach a wingspan of up to 3.2 meters and weigh up to 15 kilograms, while females weigh around 11 kilograms. Males have black bodies with grayish-white wing feathers, and their heads, necks, and pouches are reddish or pinkish. A collar of white feathers encircles the neck.
• California Condor (in English: California Condor): Scientifically known as Gymnogyps californianus, it typically measures 2.9 meters from beak to tail. Both males and females weigh about 11 kilograms. Adults are black with white feather borders along the wings. Their heads, necks, and pouches range from red to orange.

Old World Vultures

Old World vultures differ from their New World counterparts by possessing a larynx, enabling them to make various sounds such as snorts, mews, and screams. They build nests made of twigs in trees or on cliffs and have broad wings, strong feet, and powerful beaks.^[2] Prominent examples of Old World vultures include:^[3]

• Cinereous Vulture (in English: Cinereous Vulture): Also known as the black vulture, it is scientifically named Aegypius monachus. Found in southern Europe, Anatolia, central steppes, and mountainous regions of Asia, it is among the largest flying birds and considered by some scientists to be the largest raptor overall. It measures nearly one meter in body length, weighs 12.5 kilograms, and has broad wings spanning about 2.7 meters. It is black with a short, wedge-shaped tail.
• Egyptian Vulture (in English: Egyptian Vulture): Scientifically known as Neophron percnopterus, it ranges from northern and eastern Africa through southern Europe, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and India. A small vulture, it reaches about 60 centimeters in length. Its plumage is mostly white with some black feathers on the wings. Its face is featherless, but there is graduated-length feathering on the head.
• Griffon Vulture (in English: Common Griffon): Scientifically named Gyps fulvus, it inhabits southern Russia, the Balkans, northwest Africa, and Spanish highlands. Its upper plumage is reddish, while the underside is brownish-red with white streaks. Several related species include:
  • White-backed Vulture (in English: White-backed Vulture), scientifically known as G. bengalensis.
  • Indian Vulture or Long-billed Vulture (in English: Long-billed Vulture), scientifically known as G. indicus.
  • Slender-billed Vulture (in English: Slender-billed Vulture), scientifically known as G. tenuirostris. This species has experienced a dramatic population decline due to medications given to livestock for pain relief. When these animals die and vultures consume their carcasses, the drugs cause kidney failure in the birds.
• Lappet-faced Vulture (in English: Lappet-faced Vulture or Nubian Vulture): Scientifically known as Torgos tracheliotus, it resides in Africa, with a wingspan reaching 2.7 meters and a body length of one meter. A powerful bird, it dominates other vultures during feeding. Its upper plumage is black and brown, while the underparts are white. It has a wedge-shaped tail, and its face is pink or red. Fleshy folds of skin extend from the sides of its bare head.
• Palm-nut Vulture (in English: Palm-nut Vulture): Scientifically named Gypohierax angolensis, it lives in West and Central Africa. It measures about 50 centimeters in length, has an orange, featherless face, and a yellow beak. Interestingly, it is primarily herbivorous but occasionally consumes crustaceans and dead fish.
• Red-headed Vulture (in English: Red-headed Vulture): Scientifically known as Sarcogyps calvus, it ranges from Pakistan to Malaysia. It measures about 75 centimeters in length with a wingspan of 2.7 meters. Its plumage is black, with white feathers on the chest. It has a large black beak and multiple skin folds extending from the sides of its neck.
• White-headed Vulture (in English: White-headed Vulture): Scientifically known as Trigonoceps occipitalis, it features a pale yellow, triangular face and a red beak. Its plumage is black, except for white wing tips and belly. It reaches a body length of 80 centimeters and a wingspan of 1.8 meters.

Adaptations of Vultures for Eating Carrion

Vultures feed on decaying flesh and rotting meat that could cause serious illness in other animals and birds. They often begin eating a carcass from the anal region, which provides a natural entry point. They may wait until the skin softens enough to penetrate easily, meaning the decomposition process is well advanced. As a result, a vulture's typical meal is rich in bacteria, toxins, and fecal matter. So what protects them from disease? According to Michael Roggenbuck, a microbiology researcher at the University of Copenhagen, vultures have evolved to tolerate toxic bacteria in their diet. Their highly acidic digestive tract is chemically equipped to handle and filter harmful microbes. On one hand, their digestive system breaks down most deadly bacteria they ingest; on the other, it hosts resilient bacteria that can survive harsh gut conditions. These bacteria, in turn, help digest nutrients. Intriguingly, when researchers analyzed the fecal bacteria of vultures living in Copenhagen Zoo—whose diet resembled that of other captive raptors—they found it closely resembled the gut flora of wild vultures feeding on carrion, despite differing from that of other zoo birds sharing the same diet. This suggests that the vulture’s digestive physiology influences gut bacteria more than diet alone. These findings indicate that the relationship between gut microbes and digestion in vultures is far more complex than previously believed.^[5]

Video About the Vulture Bird

To learn more, watch the following video

References

1. [1] "Vulture", www.newworldencyclopedia.org,30-5-2008, Retrieved 1-11-2017. Edited.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Vulture", animals.sandiegozoo.org, Retrieved 1-11-2017. Edited.
3. ^ ^{a b c} Lloyd Kiff, "Vulture", www.britannica.com, Retrieved 1-11-2017. Edited.
4. [4] "Condor", www.britannica.com,31-8-2017, Retrieved 22-11-2017. Edited.
5. [5] Laura Gegge (25-11-2014), "How Vultures Can Eat Rotting Flesh Without Getting Sick", www.livescience.com, Retrieved 1-11-2017. Edited.