Bearded vultures reach a length of 37-49 inches long and weigh 10-17 with females being slightly larger. Their wingspan can reach 9.3 feet across and spread out with a narrow appearance while flying.

Unlike most vultures, bearded vultures are not bald. Their body is mostly rust colored or whiteish with a dark gray back, wings, and tail feathers. The bristles that form their beard under its chin are black.

Bearded vultures develop their orange to reddish color from either drinking mineral-rich water, rubbing mud on its body, or dust bathing. Since this does not do much for camouflage, scientists have noticed that the older the bird, the deeper the orange color. Bearded vultures most likely view this as a status symbol and having the most territory for dust baths for example.

This vulture can be found in Africa, Asia, and Europe, usually up high in the mountains and cliffs or canyons and gorges. Bearded vultures also like to be near meadows, forests, pastures, or anywhere where predators will leave bones for them to eat.

Like other vultures, bearded vultures are scavengers eating mostly dead animals; the only live animal it consumes is tortoises. Over 90% of their diet is mammals and the rest is birds and reptiles. The bearded vulture is the only living bird that specializes in feeding on bone marrow as its stomach acid has a pH of 1 and can easily digest it. It can be seen carrying large bones high in the sky and dropping them to expose the more nutritious parts in the middle.

Bearded vultures mate throughout the year depending on their region. A pair can be monogamous, or a female may take on another partner for extra protection and to increase her reproductive success. Their mating ritual is elaborate with aerial stunts and locking talons, often spinning together. Once they’ve mated and built a nest in a cave or rock outcrop, the female will lay usually 2 eggs after 53-60 days. The chicks spend 100-130 days in the nest and may depend on their parents for up to 2 years!

The bearded vulture is a bird of prey that also goes by the name lammergeier, which translates to “lamb-vulture” in German.