Bearded Vulture by WillemSvdMerwe on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

WillemSvdMerwe on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/willemsvdmerwe/art/Bearded-Vulture-820707014WillemSvdMerwe

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Published: Nov 18, 2019

Description

Here is another eagle-like vulture. The Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus, is also known as a Lammergeyer, or 'lamb vulture'. Its scientific name means 'bearded vulture-eagle'. This species occurs in mountainous regions from South Africa to Europe to Asia. It is a bone-eating specialist! It can swallow quite large pieces of bone, and its strong digestive juices dissolve them so it can extract the nutrition. The fat-rich marrow of bones are especially important to it. Bones too large to swallow, it picks up in its talons, flies up and drops them onto stones to shatter them. This species is very rare in South Africa, but there are now special 'vulture restaurants' where bones and carcasses are put out for it, and these also give bird-watchers the chance to see this huge and unique bird.

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