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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||
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| † see also: Accipitridae |
Old World vultures belong to the order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks.
They are not at all closely related to the superficially similar New World vultures and condors, and do not share that group’s good sense of smell. The similarities between the two groups are due to convergent evolution rather than a close relationship.
Vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight.
A particular characteristic of many vultures is a bald head, devoid of feathers. This is because a feathered head would become spattered with blood and other fluids, and thus be difficult to keep clean.
Species include
- Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus
- Griffon vulture Gyps fulvus
- Indian white-rumped vulture, Gyps bengalensis
- Rüppell’s vulture, Gyps rueppelli
- Long-billed vulture Gyps indicus
- Himalayan griffon vulture Gyps himalayensis
- White-backed vulture, Gyps africanus
- Lappet-faced vulture, Trogos tracheliotus
- Eurasian black vulture or Monk Vulture, Aegypius monachus
- Egyptian vulture, Neophron percnopterus
- Palm nut vulture, Gypohierax angolensis
- Hooded vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus