Birds · Accipitriformes · Accipitridae

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The bearded vulture is an accipitriform bird of the family Accipitridae. It is a vulture markedly different from other similar birds of prey. It takes its Spanish name from its habit of carrying bones and shells to a great height and dropping them, breaking them against the rocks so that it can swallow them and feed.

Weight

4.9 kg – 6.2 kg

Size

1.1 m – 1.5 m

Lifespan

40 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

Estimated population

In the Pyrenees, the only Iberian range that still holds it, some 90 occupied territories with around 53 breeding pairs, growing by an average of 3-6 % a year over the past two decades

MountainCarnivore Diurnal In pairs Near Threatened Bird Mountain

44countries 42parks43same family

Fun facts

GeneralThe only vertebrate that lives almost entirely on bone: it breaks them by dropping them onto rocks from the air.
alimentaciónIt feeds mainly on bone, which it breaks by dropping from the air onto rocks to get at the marrow, and its plumage can turn orange from bathing in iron-rich water.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: High mountains with rocky crags and alpine pasture
Sexual maturity: 7 years
Gestation / incubation: 53-60 days of incubation, shared by both members of the pair
Litter / clutch size: 1-2 eggs, laid in early January, from which usually only one chick is raised

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypaetus_barbatus

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: It can be seen all year round in the Aragonese Pyrenees; courtship and nest building, between November and January, are when there is most activity in flight