Wildlifeof Nepal
Bearded Vulture
Birds of Prey
Photo: Diego González Dopico · CC-BY
Gypaetus barbatus
Basic stats
Diet
Bone makes up 70–90% of the diet; carrion in the breeding season
Habitat
Crags in high mountains
Range
Iran, southern Europe, East Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Tibet and the Caucasus
Clutch size
1–2 eggs, laid in mid-winter
Size
94–125cm
Wingspan
2.31–2.83m
Weight
4.5–7.8kg
The bearded vulture, or lammergeier, is a very large bird of prey, 94 to 125cm long with a wingspan of 2.31 to 2.83m and a weight of 4.5 to 7.8kg. It is the only known vertebrate whose diet consists of 70 to 90% bone. It has a feathered neck and a lozenge-shaped tail longer than the width of the wing. The adult is grey-blue to grey-black above and rusty and whitish elsewhere, the colour coming from dust-bathing or rubbing iron-rich mud on its body (Wikipedia, general species account).
It lives and breeds on crags in high mountains from Iran and southern Europe to the Indian subcontinent and Tibet. Juveniles are dark black-brown and take five to seven years to reach full maturity, first breeding at eight years or older. Females lay one or two eggs in mid-winter. It is silent apart from shrill whistles in breeding displays. The sources opened give no Nepal-specific counts.
Quick answers
- What does the Bearded Vulture eat?
- Bone makes up 70–90% of the diet; carrion in the breeding season
- What habitat does the Bearded Vulture live in?
- Crags in high mountains
- Where is the Bearded Vulture found?
- Iran, southern Europe, East Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Tibet and the Caucasus
- How many eggs does the Bearded Vulture lay?
- 1–2 eggs, laid in mid-winter
- How big is the Bearded Vulture?
- 94–125cm
- What is the wingspan of the Bearded Vulture?
- 2.31–2.83m
- How much does the Bearded Vulture weigh?
- 4.5–7.8kg