Knowra Old World vulture Old World vulture An Old World vulture is a scavenging bird in the family Accipitridae, native to Africa, Europe, or Asia. It is distinct from the vultures of the Americas, which belong to a different bird family.
Carrion : The decaying flesh of dead animals, consumed by scavengers. It is the principal food source that shapes Old World vulture feeding behavior.
Accipitridae : A family of birds of prey that includes eagles, hawks, kites, and Old World vultures. Old World vultures are classified within this family, unlike American vultures.
Eurasian griffon : A large Old World vulture of Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, with pale body plumage and broad wings. It exemplifies the large, social soaring vultures that feed on open-country carcasses.
Vulture decline in South Asia : The catastrophic population collapse of several South Asian vulture species beginning in the 1990s. The collapse shows how rapidly a common scavenger guild can disappear after a single widespread toxin exposure.
Vulture head and neck : The sparsely feathered head and neck characteristic of many vulture species. Sparse plumage can reduce soiling when a vulture feeds inside a carcass.
Bird of prey : A bird that hunts or scavenges animal food, typically using a hooked bill and strong feet. Vultures are raptors adapted primarily to scavenging rather than killing prey.
Bearded vulture : A large vulture that specializes in eating bones and occurs across mountainous regions of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Its bone-focused diet is an unusual specialization among Old World vultures.
Diclofenac : A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used in veterinary and human medicine. Veterinary diclofenac poisoned vultures that consumed treated livestock carcasses.
Olfaction in birds : The detection and interpretation of odors by birds. Old World vultures generally locate carcasses by sight rather than the strong scent-tracking used by some American vultures.
Scavenger : An organism that feeds on dead animals or their remains. Scavenging is the defining ecological role shared by Old World vultures.
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