Bird vulture is the largest of all birds of prey in the world.These birds inhabit the creation of virtually the entire globe.The only exceptions are Australia and Antarctica.Birds prefer warm and mild climate.Perhaps that is why the lion's share of all vultures lives in Africa.
General description vultures
Bird vulture looks not very attractive, and.These creatures are long, but completely bare neck, a large hooked beak and a huge goiter.Their wings - wide and long, rounded at the edges.The tail is stiff and has a stepped structure.Legs vultures - quite strong and massive limbs, however, toes - weak, and claws - blunt and short.
Table of Ranks
vultures called all the birds representing the subfamily loggerhead.Among them are a separate group - vultures.Vultures are very similar to the American vultures, but ornithologists not bring together these two groups of birds, apart from their close relatives.The family of vultures is one of the most diverse and vibrant in birds.It is represented by the following types:
- African vulture;
- griffon vulture;
- Bengal vulture;
- Cape vulture;
- Indian vulture;
- snow vulture;
- African vulture.
curious that relate to the bar and some other genera of birds, representing the subfamily loggerhead, and a separate group - the American vultures.The representatives of the subfamily vultures are:
- eared vulture;
- black vultures;
- gray necks;
- brown vultures;
- bald vultures;
- condors;
- crest vultures.
It is worth noting that the latter are the most noble creations of the entire family of scavengers.As mentioned above, a special kind are called vultures.From his relatives they differ elongated, but weak beak, very long gooseneck and powerful limbs.
Ornithologists hyphae belong to the family and all the favorite bird of Native Americans - the condor.The fact that at the time the Indians had fun using the condors they caught the birds, tied them to the backs of bulls and watched as hoofed trying to throw off the scavenger, pecking his back.
Incidentally, in the South American country of Peru in great demand among the local population are Uruba, or black vultures.These birds are very trusting creatures and are not afraid of people.Uruba taken under strict local laws protection, because they are a kind of cleaners: they clean the streets of cities from excessive dirt.
The vultures feed on?
Grief - bird of prey - or rather, scavenger.In living creatures, these birds attack rarely, preferring to feed on dead animals.Only occasionally during the painful famine vultures dare attack live animals.However, even in this case, the birds try to choose the weakest or sick creatures.
Scientists observe the behavior of these birds, claim that most readily vulture bird pecks exactly the bodies of mammals, but in some cases does not neglect and reptiles, and fishes, and even their relatives - other birds.It is interesting that, for example, in India, vultures pecking happy corpses of people ejected after the manner of death in the river Ganges.
Lifestyle vultures
Bird of prey vulture family - it's pretty agile and moving creature.There are these creatures easily, going short but quick steps.Vultures fly too well, only slowly, but it does not prevent them to rise to great heights.Not deprived of scavengers and superb sight: their prey with vultures looking out for quite a high altitude.
Ornithologists mock necks about their cleverness: it they really deprived.Some bluntness, by their inherent nature, rewarded them near some negative qualities.Not only that, the vulture is a bird timid, ill-advised, quite fiery and highly irritable, so more and arrogant, and even cowardly!In appendage, it should be noted that the vultures are famous and their inexplicable ferocity.
lion's share of the time these birds wander all over the globe, and then suddenly appear in large numbers in places where previously there were not a few months.It is interesting that while some types of vultures can easily walk around the city and village streets, while others are trying to be avoided meeting people and do not come close to human settlements.
nesting vultures
Bird family of vultures - breeding.These creatures settle directly in the nests they weave with the onset of spring.Most of this group of birds for nesting choose dense forests or inaccessible cliffs.Their nests - a unique strong construction, reminiscent of the nest any other birds of prey.Clutches usually consists of 1-2 eggs.Chicks hatch completely helpless.To independent life they adapt only a few months later.
