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====Subspecies==== | ====Subspecies==== | ||
Up to four subspecies have been recognised: | Up to four subspecies have been recognised: | ||
| − | *''G. b. barbatus'' in | + | *''G. b. barbatus'' in northwestern [[Africa]] |
*''G. b. aureus'' in [[Europe]], the [[Middle East]] and [[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. meridionalis'' in the [[Arabian Peninsula]], and eastern and southern [[Africa]] | ||
| − | *''G. b. | + | *''G. b. hemachalanus'' from eastern [[Asia]] |
| − | Clements<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> | + | Clements<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>, IOC<sup>[[#References|2]]</sup>, and ''HBW''<sup>[[#References|3]]</sup> recognise only ''G. b. barbatus'' (north Africa and Eurasia) and ''G. b. meridionalis'' (Arabian Peninsula, and eastern and southern Africa), with the other two treated as synonyms of ''G. b. barbatus''<sup>[[#References|2]]</sup>. |
| − | A recent phylogeographic and genetic study<sup>[[#References| | + | A recent phylogeographic and genetic study<sup>[[#References|4]]</sup>, 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. |
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
Mountains. | Mountains. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | Many adults constantly rub mud over their chin, breast and leg feathers, giving these areas a rust | + | Many adults constantly rub mud over their chin, breast and leg feathers, giving these areas a rust-coloured appearance. |
====Diet==== | ====Diet==== | ||
| − | Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. It usually disdains the rotting meat, however, and lives on a diet that is 90% bone marrow. It will drop large bones from a height to crack them to get smaller pieces. Its old name of | + | Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. It usually disdains the rotting meat, however, and lives on a diet that is 90% bone and bone marrow. It will drop large bones from a height to crack them to get smaller pieces. Its old name of 'ossifrage' ("bone-crusher") relates to this habit. Live tortoises are also dropped in similar fashion to crack them open. |
====Breeding==== | ====Breeding==== | ||
It breeds on crags in high mountains in southern Europe, Africa, India and Tibet, laying one or two eggs in mid-winter which hatch at the beginning of spring. They breed from mid December to mid February, laying 1 to 2 eggs, which hatch between 53 and 58 days. After which the young spend 106 to 130 days in the nest, before flying out on their own. | It breeds on crags in high mountains in southern Europe, Africa, India and Tibet, laying one or two eggs in mid-winter which hatch at the beginning of spring. They breed from mid December to mid February, laying 1 to 2 eggs, which hatch between 53 and 58 days. After which the young spend 106 to 130 days in the nest, before flying out on their own. | ||
| Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
Adults are strictly resident and, while immatures may wander, they very rarely leave mountain areas. | Adults are strictly resident and, while immatures may wander, they very rarely leave mountain areas. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}#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. | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}#{{Ref-GillDonsker16V6.4}}#{{Ref-HBWVol2}}#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. |
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
Revision as of 22:30, 24 January 2017
Alternative name: Bearded Vulture
- Gypaetus barbatus
Identification
95-125 cm (37-49 inches) long with a 235-280 cm (91-110 inches) wingspan.
Adults have a buff-yellow body and head, the latter with the black moustache which give this species its alternative name. Tail and wings are grey.
Juvenile birds are dark all over, and take five years to reach full maturity.
Flight
Unlike most other vultures in flight due to its large, narrow wings and long, wedge-shaped tail.
Distribution
Mountains of Europe, Africa and Asia.
The rarest breeding vulture in Europe breeding in the Pyrenees, in Greece and the northern Caucasus, and in very small numbers in Corsica and Crete. A reintroduction programme began in the Alps in 1986 with the first breeding in 1997, this population now numbers about 200 and birds are regularly seen in France, Switzerland], Austria and Italy. In 1998 fully wild Lammergeiers successfully bred in the French Pyrenees.
In the Western Palearctic breeds most commonly in Turkey with relict populations in Sinai, possibly also Israel and northern Iraq. Also breeds in the south-west of the Arabian Peninsula and range extends east from the Caucasus across northern Iran to Pakistan, north into Central Asia, the Himalayas, Tibet and north-west and central China.
In Africa breeds in the mountains of Morocco and Algeria, also in eastern Egypt and south to eastern Sudan, Ethiopia and the mountains of Kenya and Tanzania. In southern Africa occurs in Natal, Lesotho, Orange Free State and the far north of Cape Province.
In the Western Palearctic vagrants recorded in Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, also Bulgaria and the Ukraine, Cyprus, Syria and Lebanon.
In 1994 a bird from the Alpine reintroduction programme was found on the Atlantic coast of France, in 1998 two were seen in the Netherlands, in 1999 another was recorded in Denmark. In May 2001 an immature was found on the German island of Ruegen in the Baltic and in 2002-3 there were further Dutch records. Occasionally seen at Gibraltar. In China a vagrant to Hopeh, Shansi and Hupeh.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Up to four subspecies have been recognised:
- G. b. barbatus in northwestern Africa
- G. b. aureus in Europe, the Middle East and Asia
- G. b. meridionalis in the Arabian Peninsula, and eastern and southern Africa
- G. b. hemachalanus from eastern Asia
Clements1, IOC2, and HBW3 recognise only G. b. barbatus (north Africa and Eurasia) and G. b. meridionalis (Arabian Peninsula, and eastern and southern Africa), with the other two treated as synonyms of G. b. barbatus2.
A recent phylogeographic and genetic study4, 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.
Habitat
In Europe usually 1,000-2,000m altitude in mountains. Found in areas with deep valleys and high ridges, nests on inaccessible cliffs or small caves and requires presence of chamois, ibex or wild sheep for carrion. In the Himalayas has been seen above 7,000m. Mountains.
Behaviour
Many adults constantly rub mud over their chin, breast and leg feathers, giving these areas a rust-coloured appearance.
Diet
Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. It usually disdains the rotting meat, however, and lives on a diet that is 90% bone and bone marrow. It will drop large bones from a height to crack them to get smaller pieces. Its old name of 'ossifrage' ("bone-crusher") relates to this habit. Live tortoises are also dropped in similar fashion to crack them open.
Breeding
It breeds on crags in high mountains in southern Europe, Africa, India and Tibet, laying one or two eggs in mid-winter which hatch at the beginning of spring. They breed from mid December to mid February, laying 1 to 2 eggs, which hatch between 53 and 58 days. After which the young spend 106 to 130 days in the nest, before flying out on their own.
Vocalisation
Lammergeiers are silent apart from shrill whistles at the breeding crags.
Movements
Adults are strictly resident and, while immatures may wander, they very rarely leave mountain areas.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2016. IOC World Bird Names (version 6.4). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1994. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334153
- 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.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Bearded Vulture. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bearded_Vulture
