Incoming --- Bearded Vulture, Spain.

[Gottshotz]

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Adult Bearded Vulture diving down to pick bones up from a carcass at Buseu in the Spanish Pyrenees. This particular bird had an 8 foot wingspan. Note that despite the large hooked beak and long pointed talons it is a scavenger, with 80% of its diet consisting of animal bones ---additionally it has a fully feathered neck, as it doesn't stick its head into carcass body cavities, as do many of the other vulture species. Taken with a D850 and Nikon 400mm f2.8 ISO 100, 1/1600 Sec., on a tripod. 28/05/19.

 

[Yezdi]

Lovely...

 

[Gottshotz]

Lovely...

Thanks Yezdi, they are very spectacular birds !

 

[Robin]

Cracking shot in diving pose.

 

[Gottshotz]

Cracking shot in diving pose.

Thanks Robin, they are surprisingly aerodynamic despite their size.

 

[Icarus]

Spectacular shot! Amazing looking for a vulture. People can't even claim he's ugly with a bald head. Interesting that they pick at bones rather than reaching
inside for the good stuff. LOL

 

[Gottshotz]

Spectacular shot! Amazing looking for a vulture. People can't even claim he's ugly with a bald head. Interesting that they pick at bones rather than reaching
inside for the good stuff. LOL

Quite , though if they can extract the marrow inside the bone they will get a very high level of protein from it.

 

[Harry.G]

Waoooo that really is one hell of a big bird and just look at those Talons they would inflict some serious damage and whatever it gets hold of it’s certainly not letting go .. Great action shot David ..


Harry.G

 

[Gottshotz]

Waoooo that really is one hell of a big bird and just look at those Talons they would inflict some serious damage and whatever it gets hold of it’s certainly not letting go .. Great action shot David ..


Harry.G

Thanks Harry, pleased it came out so crisply !

 

[Jaap L]

Great picture of a great bird, David! Thanks for informing us on the eating habits of this particular vulture.

I wondered if the feather behind the bird's beak is part of the wing or its tail. It makes it confusing to the viewer what is now part of his head and what is part of the rest of the body. The next question is of course: how ethical is it for a photographer to remove this feather to get a perfect picture? Of course it depends of the intended usage of the picture and/or how often you will be able to make this great action shot..

 

[Gottshotz]

Great picture of a great bird, David! Thanks for informing us on the eating habits of this particular vulture.

I wondered if the feather behind the bird's beak is part of the wing or its tail. It makes it confusing to the viewer what is now part of his head and what is part of the rest of the body. The next question is of course: how ethical is it for a photographer to remove this feather to get a perfect picture? Of course it depends of the intended usage of the picture and/or how often you will be able to make this great action shot..

Hi Jaapl, I discovered this photo (not mine, unfortunately) of an immature bearded vulture showing the "beard" that gives this bird its name , which I think is the "feather " you are referring to--- according to the avian experts it is made up of black bristles. These are modified hair-like feathers morphologically similar to mammalian whiskers, so it is unique to this species of vulture, and as such I wouldn't be inclined to remove it.

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[Callie]

David, beaut action on this lovely vulture. "Ours" mostly just glide by on the thermals, well, the ones that frequented the hide when we were there. Great shot of this adult

 

[Gottshotz]

David, beaut action on this lovely vulture. "Ours" mostly just glide by on the thermals, well, the ones that frequented the hide when we were there. Great shot of this adult

Providing a bit of food for them does promote some better action shots --- no one wants to miss out !

 

[Jaap L]

Hi Jaapl, I discovered this photo (not mine, unfortunately) of an immature bearded vulture showing the "beard" that gives this bird its name , which I think is the "feather " you are referring to--- according to the avian experts it is made up of black bristles. These are modified hair-like feathers morphologically similar to mammalian whiskers, so it is unique to this species of vulture, and as such I wouldn't be inclined to remove it.

David, thank you for your correction! And indeed it should not be removed.

 

[Gottshotz]

David, thank you for your correction! And indeed it should not be removed.

No problem Jaap, for years I too was puzzled by its actual construction, so it,s been a useful exercise to get it defined .

 

[gordon_g]

Great shot... Cool looking Vulture

 

[Callie]

David, thank you for your correction! And indeed it should not be removed.

David, Jaap
The name actually says it, bearded vulture - baardaasvoël, except it is a mustache (snor), not a beard

 

[Tadzio]

Very beautiful series

 

[Gottshotz]

Great shot... Cool looking Vulture

Thanks Gordon, certainly one of the most impressive birds I have ever seen.

 

[Gottshotz]

Very beautiful series

Thanks Tadzio, glad you liked them.