Egyptian vulture
The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a small Old World vulture. It is found from southwestern Europe and northern Africa to southern Asia. It is the only living member of the genus Neophron, and there are three subspecies. In Southern Asia this species is called the scavenger vulture.
| Egyptian vulture | |
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| Adult in worn or "painted" plumage | |
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| Genus: | Neophron
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| Binomial name | |
| Neophron percnopterus | |
When they feed on the eggs of other birds, they break larger ones by tossing a large pebble onto them. The use of tools is rare in birds, but Egyptian vultures also use twigs to roll up wool for use in their nest.[1]
Egyptian Vulture Media
N. p. ginginianus in flight, India
Adult N. percnopterus in captivity showing white plumage.
N. p. percnopterus in flight (Israel) showing the characteristic wing and tail shape.
Immature (behind) and adult (from John Gould's Birds of Europe)
Eggs showing colour variation, chromolithographs by Georg Krause
Baby Egyptian vulture (neophron percnopterus), 18 days old, Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes, Paris.
Egyptian vulture using a stone to crack an egg
Migratory and resident vultures at an urban garbage dump site in northwestern India
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References
- ↑ Baxter, R. M.; Urban, E. K.; Brown, L. H (1969). "A Nineteenth-century reference to the use of tools by the Egyptian vulture". Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum. 27 (3): 231–232.