he Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), also known as the Lammergeier or Lammergeyer, is a bird of prey, and the only member of the genusGypaetus. Traditionally considered an Old World vulture, it actually forms a minor lineage of Accipitridae together with the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), its closest living relative. It is not much more closely related to the Old World vultures proper than to, for example, hawks, and differs from the former by its feathered neck. Although dissimilar, the Egyptian and Bearded Vulture each have a lozenge-shaped tail – unusual among birds of prey.
It eats mainly carrion and lives and breeds on crags in high mountains in southern Europe, the Caucasus,Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, andTibet, laying one or two eggs in mid-winter that hatch at the beginning of spring. Populations are resident. This bird is 94–125 cm (37–49 in) long with a wingspan of 2.31–2.83 m (7.6–9.3 ft). It weighs 4.5–7.8 kg (9.9–17.2 lb), with the nominate race averaging 6.21 kg (13.7 lb) and G. b. meridionalis of Africa averaging 5.7 kg (13 lb).In Eurasia, vultures found around the Himalayas tend to be slightly larger than those from other mountain ranges.Females are slightly larger than males.
