Fauna
Bird

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

Also known as Lammergeier, Ossifrage, Bearded Vulture-Eagle

Bearded vultures soar high above alpine peaks, patrolling mountain valleys for the osteo-rich remains of large mammals. Unlike other scavengers, adults drop heavy bones from heights of up to 100 meters onto rocky break-areas to shatter them into manageable, marrow-filled pieces. They stain their naturally white head and chest plumage a striking rust-orange by deliberately bathing in iron-rich mineral muds.

ScavengerMountain WildlifeSoaring Bird
Bearded Vulture reference1 / 7
Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyMammal bones, Bone marrow, Small carcasses
Predators
  • Golden Eagle
ThreatsPoisoned livestock bait, power line collisions, nest disturbance, and habitat loss
HabitatsHigh mountain crags, alpine meadows, steep canyons, and rocky plateaus
Life span20–30 years in the wild; up to 45 years in captivity
Classification
  1. FamilyAccipitridae
  2. SpeciesGypaetus barbatus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Nests high on remote cliff ledges; observe from a respectful distance to avoid disturbing brooding adults.
What to notice
Massive mountain raptor with long pointed wings, a diamond-shaped tail, and black facial tufts.
Support conservation
Keep a generous distance from active nesting cliffs and report wild sightings to local raptor monitoring groups.
Responsible observation
  • Cliff scanning: Use high-powered optics to scan ridge lines and thermal updrafts where birds soar.
  • Feather coloration: Look for orange breast feathers, which reveal access to iron-rich mineral mud springs.
  • Breeding sensitivity: Keep hundreds of meters away from cliff faces containing active stick nests.
Related species
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