From Opus

Alternative name: Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

Photo by Andrew S
Location: Near Geech Camp, Simien Mountains, Ethiopia

[edit] Identification

95-125 cm (37-49 inches) long with a 235-280 cm (91-110 inches) wingspan. Buff-yellow body and head, grey tail and wings. Juvenile birds are dark all over, and take five years to reach full maturity.

[edit] Distribution

Mountains of Europe, Africa and Asia.

[edit] Taxonomy

Subspecies: Up to four subspecies have been recognised:

• G. b. barbatus in northern Asia
• G. b. aureus in Europe, the Middle East and Asia
• G. b. meridionalis in the Arabian Peninsula, and eastern and southern Africa
• G. b. haemachalanus from eastern Asia

Clements¹ recognises only barbatus (north Africa and Eurasia) and meridionalis (Arabian Peninsula, and eastern and southern Africa).

A recent phylogeographic and genetic study², however, indicates that Asian birds are more closely related to eastern and southern-African birds than they are to most European birds. The authors of that study do not feel that it is appropriate to distinguish subspecies.

[edit] Habitat

Mountains.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet is 90% bone marrow. It will drop large bones and live tortoises from a height to crack them to get smaller pieces.

One to two eggs are laid and incubated for 53 and 58 days. Thereafter the young spend 106 to 130 days in the nest, before flying out on their own.

[edit] References

1. Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
2. Godoy JA, Negro JJ, Hiraldo F & Donazar JA. 2004. Phylogeography, genetic structure and diversity in the endangered bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus, L.) as revealed by mitochondrial DNA. Molecular Ecology 13: 371-390.

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages