| Photo Information |
Copyright: Amar Bhaskar (v_amarbhaskar)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 106 W: 0 N: 103]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (1052) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2008-03-23 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Exposure: f/6.0, 1/250 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2008-03-26 12:10 |
| Viewed: 472 |
| Points: 10 |
|
| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
We saw this egyptian vulture sitting on the far grassland. Could not get a picture from such distance. So we started getting closer the bird started walking away. We stopped and took some pictures before it flew. I have croped the left side and the top to get a better view. We had bad weather with a cloudy sky.
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Reference wikipedia
The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a small Old World vulture, found from southwestern Europe and northern Africa to southern Asia. It is the only living member of the genus Neophron. In Southern Asia this species is called the Scavenger Vulture.
The adult Egyptian Vulture usually measures 85 cm from the point of the beak to the extremity of the tail and 1.7 meters between the tips of the wings. It weighs about 2.1 kilograms.
The adult plumage is white, with some black feathers in the wings and tail. Due to its habits—stalking around carcasses on usually dusty ground to wait for its turn—the plumage dulls quickly, and birds before moult are beige rather than pure white. Also, individuals occasionally seem to "paint" themselves with soil containing iron oxide, as Lammergeiers do, turning their plumage a pinkish buff; hence the German name Schmutzgeier ("dirt-vulture"). Its facial skin is yellow, turning orange during nesting periods, and is devoid of feathers. The tail is diamond-shaped, so it is easily distinguished in flight.
The nestlings are dark brown and gradually become light until they reach adulthood at the age of five.
Egyptian Vultures are quite widely distributed and may be found in Southern Europe, in Northern Africa, and in Western and Southern Asia.
They are partial migrants, depending on the local climate.
If an Egyptian Vulture can endure the local winter, it usually will not migrate. The species is not well adapted for cold weather conditions due to its rather small size.
Egyptian Vultures are scavengers, mainly feeding off carrion, but they also prey on small mammals and eggs. Due to its relatively small size, it needs to wait until other scavengers (such as the larger Gyps vultures, hyenas, and lions) finish their meal before it may start feeding. Its head and beak are well fitted for this situation. As with other vultures, it is believed that the bare skin prevents food from sticking to it. [3] Using its long beak, an Egyptian Vulture can tear off small pieces of meat left by larger scavengers. The thin beak also can fit through narrow spaces between bones to get food that large-beaked vultures cannot reach.
The Egyptian Vulture is sometimes very stupid. It lifts itself to a high elevation and drops itself onto a rocky surface, which can result in smashing its skul
Along with and a few other birds, the Egyptian Vulture is one of the species that are known to use tools. It uses small rocks to crack thick-shelled ostrich eggs by lifting a stone with its beak and hitting the egg in a strong swing of head and neck. Presumably, this is culturally-learned, by observing others in the social group. this is very effective in survival for the egyptian vulture
The Egyptian Vulture reaches sexual maturity at the age of five and breeds in the same manner as most other birds of prey. They mate for life. The nests are built in areas of cliffs and slopes on inaccessible ledges or niches in rocky walls. Both the male and the female take part in the nest construction. They use branches for the frame and upholster it with garbage and food remains (skeletons of small mammals, turtle shells, etc.). They carry the nesting materials in their beaks, unlike most other raptors, who use their talons instead. The nest is reupholstered continually during the nesting and brooding period. The female lays two white eggs with dark brown spots (measurements: 94 grams in weight, 65x55 millimeter length and width) with a few days interval between them. This usually occurs between the end of March and the end of April.
The Egyptian Vulture is declining in large parts of its range, often severely. In Europe and most of the Middle East, it is half as plentiful as it was about twenty years ago, and the populations in India and southwestern Africa have collapsed entirely. In the case of India, this apparently is attributable to the widespread use of the NSAID Diclofenac in veterinary medicine, which enters the food chain of the species; the drug is extremely poisonous to vultures.
Consequently, it was uplisted from a species of Least Concern to Endangered status in the 2007 |
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Hi Amar,
You have managed to capture a great amount of detail in the dull weather. The details of the grass fades away into a nice blur.
Thanks for the detailed note
Regards... Sisir