Lammergeier
| Gypaetus barbatus | Order: Accipitriformes | Family: Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) |
Gypaetus barbatus
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
Also called the Bearded Vulture and the ossifrage, this scavenger is famous for dropping large bones from high in the sky onto rocks to break them, then eating the marrow within and the smaller pieces of bone. The acidity of this bird’s stomach fluids, with a pH of 1, is strong enough to dissolve bones within 24 hours.
The Lammergeier is most closely related to the Egyptian Vulture, but not particularly closely related to other vultures, Old World or New.