Egyptian vulture neophron percnopterus

High Resolution JPEG Picture of The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), also called the white scavenger vulture or pharaoh's chicken. The Egyptian vulture is usually seen singly or in pairs, soaring in thermals along with other scavengers and birds of prey, or perched on the ground or atop a building. On the ground, they walk with a waddling gait. They feed on a range of food, including mammal faeces (including those of humans), insects in dung, carrion, vegetable matter, and sometimes small animals. When it joins other vulture species at a dead animal, it tends to stay on the periphery and waits until the larger species leave.Wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) form a significant part of the diet of Spanish vultures.Studies suggest that they feed on ungulate faeces to obtain carotenoid pigments responsible for their bright yellow and orange facial skin. The ability to assimilate carotenoid pigments may serve as a reliable signal of fitness. Egyptian vultures are mostly silent but make high-pitched mewing or hissing notes at the nest and screeching noises when squabbling at a carcass. Young birds have been heard making a hissing croak in flight.They also hiss or growl when threatened or angry. Egyptian vultures roost communally on large trees, buildings or on cliffs.Roost sites are usually chosen close to a dump site or other suitable foraging area. In Spain and Morocco,summer roosts are formed mainly by immature birds. The favourite roost trees tended to be large dead pines. The number of adults at the roost increases towards June. It is thought that breeding adults may be able to forage more efficiently by joining the roost and following others to the best feeding areas. Breeding birds that failed to raise young may also join the non-breeding birds at the roost during June.