Bearded Vulture

Average Weight: 13.7 lb.(6.21 kg)  

Average Height: 19.3 in- 26.2 in (49-66.5 cm) 

Average Lifespan: 21 years in the wild, over 40 years in captivity.

 These intimidating but beautiful birds are scavengers, contrary to the popular myth that they are "lamb killers". This came from the German word Lämmergeier.  These birds are endangered because of deforestation, powerlines, and hunting/poisoning. Due to the myth that they killed off lambs, many of them were shot. Farmers may use poison to kill animals that a bearded vulture may find and eat because Bearded Vultures are scavengers, which means that they search for any dead animals and eat them.  Bearded Vultures can not distinguish powerlines from the air, so they may accidentally fly into them and get electrocuted. The forests that they nest are being cut down, so their reproduction rate has gone down drastically.