File #007 //
Bearded Vulture
(Gypaetus Barbatus)
Core Data
Designation: Bird Of Prey
Habitat: Found in a vast range of places in parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe, specifically in mountains and plains.
Diet: This is a scavenger that mostly feeds on dead animals, specifically 93% mammals, 6% birds, and 1% reptiles. It specifically feeds on the bones of the animal which makes up 85 to 90% of its diet.
Size: Around 94 to 125cm (37 to 49in) long with a wingspan ranging from 2.31 to 2.83m (7ft 7 in to 8ft 3in).
Lifecycle: Typically around 30 to 40 years but reportedly up to 50 years in captivity.
Specialized Functions
The Bearded Vulture is the only known bird to specialize in eating bone! It either swallows them whole or bites through brittle bones. If its too big it will fly up and drop the bones on some rocks. After it swallows them, its powerful digestive system dissolves even large pieces of bone!
The orange tinge on the Bearded Vulture comes from bathing in mud and dust rich in iron oxide that stains their normally white colored feathers!