Lappet-Faced Vulture
| Class: Aves: Birds |
Diet: Carrion |
| Order:
Falconiformes: Birds of Prey |
| Size: body:100
- 115 cm (39 - 45 in) |
| Family: Accipitridae:
Vultures, Eagles, Hawks |
Conservation Status:
Endangered |
| Scientific Name:
Torgos tracheliotus |
Habitat: bush, desert |
| Range:
Northern, southern, and eastern Africa |
 The
lappet-faced is a typical Old World vulture with perfect adaptations for
a scavenging life. Its powerful hooked bill cuts easily into carrion, and
its bare head and neck save lengthy feather-cleaning after plunging deep
into a messy carcass. The immense broad wings, with widely spaced primary
feathers, are ideal for soaring and gliding for long periods, using few
wing beats. No real mating display has been observed. A huge stick nest
is made at the top of a tree or on a crag, and the female lays 1 egg.
  
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