Himalayan Vulture

Gyps himalayensis

Beak

—

Feet

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Crest

No crest

Resident in Himalayas; winters south to N India plains Larger than Griffon Vulture, with broader body and slightly longer tail. Wing-coverts and body pale buffish in adult, contrasting strongly with dark flight feathers and tail. and ruff is buffish. Underparts lack pronounced streaking. Legs andfe etpinkish with dark claws. and has yellowish bill and pale blue care and facial skin (blackish in Griffon). Juvenile has brown feathered ruff, with bill and care initially black, dark brown body and upperwing-coverts boldly and prominently streaked with buff!wing-coverts almost concolorous with flight feathers), and back and rump also dark brown. Streaked upparparts and underparts and pronounced white banding across underwing - coverts are best distinctions of juvenile from Cinereous Vulture; very similar in plumage to juvenile White-rumped, but much larger and more heavily built, with broader wings and longer tail, underparts more heavily streaked, and streaking on mantle and scapulars. Larger than Indian, with stouter bill. Key features of adult are yellowish bill with blackish care. whit ish head and neck. fluffy white ruff. rufescent - buff upperparts. rufous -brown underparts and thighs with prominent pale streaking, and dark grey legs and feet. Rufous-brown underwing-coverts usually show prominent whitish banding, especially across medians jsee a ccounts for Indian and Himalayan for comparison). Immature is richer rufous-brown on upperparts a ndupperwing - coverts (with prominent pale streaking) than adult; has rufous - brown feathered neck -ru ff. more whitish down covering grey head and neck, blackish bill, and dark iris jpale yellowish-brown in adult). Roosts gregariously on crags. and when air currents are suitable takes to the air and soars over mountains at great heights and often for long distances. Aggressive when feeding, and dominates over all other vultures except Cinereous. Breeds in mountains, especially along routes well-used by pack animals; winters down to the plains. Regularly makes long journeys in search of carcasses. Semi-desert. dry open plains and hills.