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The Griffon Vulture, also know as the Eurasian Griffon, is a species of large Old World Vulture in the Accipitridae family. they feed mostly from carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over open areas, often moving in flocks. I saw this Vulture at the Alligator Farm in Saint Augustine, Florida.
The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), also known as the lammergeier and ossifrage, is a very large bird of prey and the only member of the genus Gypaetus.This bird is also identified as Huma bird or Homa bird in Iran and north west Asia. Traditionally considered an Old World vulture, it actually forms a minor lineage of Accipitridae together with the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus.
Bearded vultures come in various shades, from pure white to orange-red. Soils stained with iron oxide give the birds their fiery appearance. Lammergeiers apply the dirt with their claws and then preen for about an hour to ensure a bright orange glow.
Griffon Vulture adult flight_w_ (Gyps fulvus)-6538
Like other vultures, it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over open areas, often moving in flocks. It establishes nesting colonies in cliffs that are undisturbed by humans while coverage of open areas and availability of dead animals within dozens of kilometres of these cliffs is high. These huge birds grunts and hisses at roosts or when feeding on carrion.
In many cultures around the world, particularly in Western societies, vultures are viewed with disdain. Commonly, people tend to look down on these birds as dirty, ugly, and unhygienic, failing to recognise their importance. People of other cultures, however, hold the vulture in high regard. This is true with the inhabitants of the Tibetan plateau, where vultures are part of traditional funerary customs. In this culture, people are not buried after death as a means of controlling preventable infectious diseases. Instead, the dead are laid to rest in the sky. Monks prepare the bodies of the deceased and set them on platforms to draw the attention of nearby vultures. The vultures discover these human bodies, ingesting them and carrying them off into the sky. Many people view this as one final good deed as the deceased is able to offer something to another living creature before going off to rest in the sky. This practice is not unique to Tibet, however. Historical evidence suggests it has been practiced by cultures around the world for over 11,000 years.
The maximum recorded lifespan of the griffon vulture is 41.4 years for an individual in captivity
Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) adults_w_4491
The Griffon vulture is sand-coloured to dark brown, with a white head, neck and ruff. The primary- and tail feathers are dark brown to black. Young birds have a brown ruff and are darker in colour. The wings are long and wide and are resemble fingers.
Distribution: Following a decline in the 20th century by poisoning, hunting and decreasing of food supplies, in recent year the species has increased dramatically in some areas, particularly in Spain, the French Pyrenees and Portugal. In Europe, the breeding population is between 19.000 and 21.000 pairs, with around 17.500 pairs in Spain and approximately 600 in France.
Behaviour: The Griffon vulture feeds mainly on the softer parts of carcasses, such as the muscles and viscera. Because of it’s long neck, this species can reach far into the carcass without snagging. Griffon vultures are very social in comparison to other vulture species. They forage in groups and breed in colonies on steep cliffs.
The griffon vulture is spread across Eurasia. It can be found in the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, the Balkans, Crimea, the Caucasus, the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Himalayan mountain range. There are small griffon vulture populations in other European regions, like the islands of Cres, Crete, Cyprus, Guernsey and Sardinia, as well as in continental areas north of the Pyrenees.
Griffon vultures build their nests, known as "vulture colonies", on ledges protected by vertical rock walls. They nest at more than 50 m (165 ft) above ground level, which enables them to capture the upwards drafts of air when they throw themselves into the void, helping them to fly across and above open areas.
Once the desired height is reached, soaring usually between 1,500 and 3,500 m (4,900 and 11,500 ft) high, the vultures scan every inch of the ground below with their extraordinary sight in search of animal remains. They occasionally ascend to 6,000 m (19,000 ft).
More bones spied in the creek bed of Hunting Hollow. Must have been a mouse or other small rodent. How big could that kneecap have been? Henry W. Coe State Park.
I got to go on a photoroadtrip with Gina, and it was a BLAST!! We hit up so many super places and didn't wanna leave beautiful upstate NY. One of our finds was this deer skeleton in front of the abandoned abbey in Peekskill. We took some quick shots right before it poured down rain.
I think it must be because I also feel fragile and forgotten,
feathers shed in panic in a cold and endless stairwell,
that my heart aches with yearning
to see these wings fly once more.
But lifeless they are, though still beautiful,
and all I can do is wrap them in cloth and send them off with words
that I know in my heart to be probably useless,
but it makes my soul feel better.
A bit selfish, I know, but I will remember them.
I never give them names. Maybe titles, but never do I assume to know their beauty.
I am the patron saint of broken things,
the queen of dead animals,
because if I don't remember them,
if I don't mourn for them,
who will?
EDIT//
So I finally got explored and I am floored by the positive response to this photo. I guess I just never thought that would happen. To new and old followers alike, thank you so much, and I hope to keep you enlightened.
A pregnant doe was hit and killed by a car; these fetuses were found in her womb. Blogged at jorieobrien.blogspot.com/2011/03/twins.html
Do not save, redistribute, or re-post this photograph anywhere on the internet (including Tumblr, Flickr, Blogspot, et cetera).
2020
Album released 02.02.20
Bandcamp:
avirtualmemory.bandcamp.com/album/item-09-synapsid
Soundcloud:
soundcloud.com/avirtualmemoryofficial/sets/item-09-synapsid
"Synapsid" Official Music Video:
More artwork at: www.permiandesigns.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/permiandesigns/
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NOTE: All works featured here are completely original creations. None are made with the assistance of any form of AI technology in any fashion whatsoever.