Egyptian Vulture

Egyptian Vulture can be spotted in Kerwa, Van Vihar and Manav Sangrahalaya. They are not that common but can be seen if you spend some time in these locations.

It is also known as scavenger vulture or Pharaoh's chicken. Symbol of this vulture is the first letter of egyptian alphabet. It is pronounced as "ah." Drawings of this birds have been found on the walls of Egyptian tombs.

Although common enough, they were never found in the huge congregations that white backed and long billed sometimes formed, and perhaps have escaped the decline. These birds are not yet endangered, but they are certainly less seen. They are distributed in a large geographical area covering India, Africa and as a summer visitor to Southern Europe returning to Africa in the winter.

The most important thing about these vultures is that its ability to breaks eggs by dropping rocks on them. It finds an egg, picks up a rock in its beak, stretches to its greatest height, and drops the rock. The rock seldom hits the egg and the bird doesn't seem to aim the rock at all, but, it keeps doing this until it breaks the egg. Then it feasts on the oozing interior of the egg. It is one of the rare example of bird using a tool. It is the only bird known to possess this ability.

Researchers debate whether this behaviour is learned or instinctive, with the help of some test they said that it attempts to break any egg-shaped object irrespective of what it is made of like fibre glass. infact captive Egyptian Vultures showed no inclination to break Ostrich eggs.

Egyptian vulture's habitat includes rocky regions, often mountainous, hills, lowlands, plains, wetlands, uplands, savannahs and semi- deserts and is occasionally seen around human settlements. It flies with more wingbeats than most vultures, but takes off much more gracefully, as it is built lighter and smaller.

Once gliding, the bird holds its wings flat, shifting them very little. It posesses great endurance, and is able to fly up to 70 kilometers in search of food. They feed on carrion, rotten fruits, eggs, rubbish, snails, tortoises or lizards, human excrement, also very partial to lion's dung. Occasionally catches live prey in the form of locusts in flight. Also seen following farmers plowing the fields so that it can catch disturbed insects. Often found hanging around slaughter houses. Also favoures decaying fruits and vegetables salvaged from human garbage dumps. Without a sense of smell, egyptian vultures rely on their keen eyesight to find all food. Their vision is twice as refined as that of a human, allowing them to see an object 4 to 8 centimeters in diameter from as high as 1000 meters. It grows to around 60-70 centimetres long and has white plumage with black wing tips. The beak is thin with a blackish tip and the skin on the face and neck is yellowish.

Egyptian vultures are also famous for their beautiful flight displays. This consists of dives and swoops. This is generally for choosing partners. They fly high into the air and dive back down, grasping claws on the way. they nest on rocky ledges and in cliffs, preferring well-sheltered areas with many cavities, small caves, or occasionally in trees and may be used several years running. These birds are colonial nesters. If the nest of another species is vacant it may occupy that instead. They lay 1 to 3 eggs, which they incubate for 42 days. eggs are whitish or rusty-spotted. Interestingly, they have the ability to lay a new egg if one is destroyed or taken before hatching. Rearing of young, is done by both parents.

By Parag Bakshi parag[at]bhopalbirds.com

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