Facts, Information, Scientific Name of Vulture
Let us learn about the Bird that is feisty as they hunt during their flight but also are romantic singers.
With the sharp beak, good eyesight we are set to scavenge,
This purifies ecosystem and prevent the further damage.
Scientific Name– Cathartidae (Cathartes means Purifier)
Size– 3 feet.
There are 23 species of Vulture present in India, among them 9 Vultures are found in India.
Habitat and Distribution –
Vultures are present in Open Country Habitats, Cliffs, and Tall trees or ground Vultures are found in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.
Habit-
When one spots the Vulture the most distinctive feature of this Bird is a ‘Bald or unfeathered Head’. This uncovered and exposed skin, without feathers helps vultures in regulating their Body temperature according to the temperature changes in the surrounding.
The Group of Vultures can be referred to by different names according to their activities. For example, ‘Keetle’ is a group of Vulture in Flight. The Committee of Vultures is the group of Vultures testing on the ground. ‘Wake’ is the group of Vulture who are feeding together.
One can also notice Vulture in cold weather, where they hunch their body and tuck their heads into it, while in summer season they keep their wings open and stretch the neck to beat the heat.
How does Vulture scavenge?
Vultures never attack any fit and healthy animals. They might just kill if they notice any animal is wounded or looks ill. They have a good sense of smell that helps them locate the prey. Another developed feature for locating the prey is ‘Eyesight’
Vultures have ‘Crop’ in their body, where the food is stored and later regurgitated and digested.
When prey is found, a group gathers to feed upon it. They consume according to the size and strength of their beak. Youngest individuals must wait for the remains of scraps of food after the dominant Vultures finish eating.
How do Vultures digest the Carcass?
Vultures overeat and fill up their crops and later digest. While the digestion process, if an individual feels threatened and wishes to take off, they may ‘Vomit’ the food to feel lighter and to boost the flight.
Otherwise, the Vulture have a stomach acid pH of 1.0, hence due to the highly acidic stomach they can safely digest the putrid carcass.
After feeding they might urinate on their legs to cool off the bacteria accumulated on their legs from the Carcass.
Reproduction –
Vultures reach sexual maturity at the age of 8 years. The Breeding season and Courtship rituals are different for different species of Vultures, but they are Monogamous species. They tend to stay with one partner for a longer time. Females lay 1-3 eggs and incubation is for 1-2 months. Both parents help grow and protect the young. Vultures never catch the prey with their talons (claws) and bring the food to the chicks. They always regurgitate the food to feed the Chicks. Chicks may fledge but stay with their parents to look after another generation.
Threats
There are 9 Vultures Critically endangered; about to get extinct, 3 are Endangered; on the verge of getting Critically endangered. 4 are Near-threatened, which means that their population is facing some threats. The threats include the use of the medicine Diclofenac on cattle. Diclofenac is a drug that is given to cattle as a pain killer. The drug is consequently consumed by Vulture when they feed on the dead body of the Vultures. Diclofenac is used in India and Nepal since 1990.
Some poachers poison the animals before hunting. These Vultures get affected by this poison when they feed on these poisoned animals.
Conservation –
In India, Haryana Forest Department and Bombay Natural History Society is working on Vulture Conservation. They are working on 3 species of Vulture, Long-billed Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture and White-backed Vulture.
- Also See – White Bellied Sea Eagle