Birds That Consume Corpses And “clean Up” The World
Scavengers are animals that consume corpses, which they have not hunted or killed. And although you might not believe it, they have a very useful task for the ecosystem: eliminating decaying organic waste. Among them we can find carrion birds. Would you like to know what they are?
Examples of carrion birds
Not only the feathered are engaged in this feeding activity; there are also insects and even mammals, such as the raccoon, responsible for consuming the remains of animals that were hunted by others.
In the case of carrion birds, they can even fight large predators for food. Among them, we highlight:
-
Griffin
It is one of the few vultures that inhabit Europe, although it is also found in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia (as far as India). It prefers mountainous areas, with rocks and deep valleys.
The griffin – the photo that opens this article – has a wingspan of over 2.5 meters and a weight of around 10 kilos.
In addition, its feathers are cinnamon or ocher, its head and neck are white, and its gray beak is hook-shaped, typical of birds of prey, which allows it to tear tissue and skin. Thanks to their powerful vision, they can see bodies several meters away and tall.
-
bearded vulture
The bearded vulture is one of the best known birds of prey, which can be seen in the mountains of Cantabria, the Alps and the Pyrenees, northern and southern Africa, Eastern Europe and even the Himalayas.
As for its plumage, it varies according to age; as adults, they may be brown, black, white and gray.
In addition, they have the typical hook-shaped beak and small but highly developed eyes.
-
Andean condor
It is one of the few scavengers in South America, specifically from the Andes, characterized by its black and gray plumage, white neck and bald head.
Males are larger than females and have a crest and facial folds that grow with age.
The Andean condor feeds on dead animals, but after seeing them, they allow hours or even days to pass before eating them.
With their strong beaks, they tear different types of skins, and are able to feed themselves for a whole day: they can eat five kilos of meat at once! This is after spending five weeks fasting.
-
egypt vulture
The Egyptian vulture is another of the carrion birds on this list. He not only lives in Egypt, but is also present in the Iberian Peninsula, North and Central Africa and Southeast Asia.
It’s small compared to other vultures; the young are brown and the adults have yellow feet and head, white body and wings with dark tips and a completely light tail.
When it finds carrion, the Egyptian vulture is one of the last to come close to eat ; he expects the larger animals to devour the meat and for him to be able to ingest the skins or fat.
In addition, it supplements its diet with insects, eggs and small prey.
-
black vulture
The last of our carrion birds is native to Asia, although it can also be found in southern Europe, always in ravines and cliffs.
Its feathers are dark, though not necessarily black, and its head is lighter, giving it a bald appearance. There are no gender differences.
