India is a treasure trove of biodiversity. This country is home to various species of animals, birds and wildlife. They have different behaviours and characteristics. Among India's diverse wildlife is a bird that can break animal bones with its beak.
The bird is called the Bearded Vulture or Lammergeier. The bird's scientific name is Gypaetus barbatus. These birds typically inhabit the high mountainous regions of Europe, Africa, the Caucasus mountains, Tibet and the Indian subcontinent.
Also Read | Sweet, mild, and trending: What is black garlic and why health lovers swear by it?
However, this bird is currently on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. This means the bird is nearly extinct. Very few of these birds remain in the world, and without proper conservation, they could disappear forever from the earth.
The main food of this eagle family bird is animal bones. They do not particularly prefer eating meat. This bird breaks bones with the pressure of its beak and consumes the bone marrow inside as food. About 90 per cent of their total diet consists of bone marrow.
The length of this bird can range from 94 centimeters to 125 centimetres. Birds found in the Asian continent are generally longer than those in other regions. On the other hand, female birds of this species are usually longer than male birds.
The birds' colour is typically a mixture of dark ash, brown and white. The head shape is relatively small compared to the body. But unlike other eagle family birds, this bird's head is not featherless. It is called the Bearded Vulture because it has feathers on top of its head and neck.
Also Read | Marigold plants growing but not blooming? These common gardening mistakes could be the reason
The most important organ of this bird is its beak. With its strong beak, this bird can easily break bones and eat them. With the help of its strong beak, this bird can fly carrying bones that are about 10 centimeters long and weigh about four kilograms.
Scientists have reported that the bird's existence is facing threat. The bird is least seen in the Eurasian mountain ranges. Scientists have reported that only 500 to 2,000 pairs of Bearded Vultures exist in this region. This bird is most commonly seen in Ethiopia, Africa. Scientists claim that 1,400 to 2,000 pairs of birds exist in Ethiopia. However, this bird almost disappeared from Europe in the early 20th century. The bird can only be found in some places in Spain and France.
