Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks
Bearded Vulture
Gypaetus barbatus
NTNear Threatened
- Length
- 94–125 cm
- Family
- Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks (Accipitridae)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
Overview
A full account of this species is being written.
Diet: Mainly bone marrow; drops bones onto rocks to break them.
How to identify it
- Huge vulture with long, narrow wings and a wedge-shaped tail
- Rust-orange underparts, stained by bathing in iron-rich mud
- Black 'beard' bristles under the bill
Voice
Mostly silent.
Where to see it
- Pyrenees, Spain and France
- Swiss Alps
Range and habitat
Countries
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bhutan
- Bulgaria
- China
- DR Congo
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- India
- Iran
- Israel
- Italy
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Poland
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Western Sahara
- Yemen
Habitats
Sources and further reading
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
