# Egyptian Vulture (*Neophron percnopterus*) The Egyptian Vulture is a unique bird with white feathers and a yellow face. It's known for using rocks to crack open eggs for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Desert - **Also known as:** Pharaoh's Chicken, White Scavenger Vulture ![Egyptian Vulture](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425770/objects/6063.jpg) ## Appearance The Egyptian Vulture has a striking white body with black flight feathers, giving it a high-contrast appearance in flight. Its head is small and bare, featuring a distinctive wrinkled yellow face and a shaggy mane of feathers around its neck. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Neophron ## Interesting facts - Ancient Egyptians revered them, using them in hieroglyphs as the letter 'A'. - Their unique eating habits help stop the spread of diseases from dead animals. - They're sometimes called "Pharaoh's Chicken" because of their ancient importance. - Unlike many vultures, they'll eat fruits and vegetables if very hungry! ## Special abilities - **Stone Dropper:** Egyptian Vulture can crack tough eggs by dropping stones, a unique tool-using ability that helps them access nutritious food. - **Nature's Cleaner:** Egyptian Vulture has a powerful digestive system that helps them safely consume decaying animals, keeping ecosystems healthy and clean. - **Cooling Poo:** Egyptian Vulture can poop on its own legs to cool down, a process called urohydrosis that helps them regulate body temperature. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 55-65 cm - **Wingspan:** 155-170 cm - **Weight:** 1.6-2.4 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-30 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 42-45 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding This resourceful bird cleans up nature by mostly eating dead animals and eggs! - **Primary Foods:** Carrion, Eggs, Small mammals, Insects, Dung, Rotten fruit - **Foraging Method:** Scavenging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Grey Wolf (*Canis lupus*) — Scavenges remains left by predators. - **Eats:** [European Rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Scavenges on rabbit carcasses, like roadkill. - **Eats:** Common Ostrich (*Struthio camelus*) — Uses tools to break open ostrich eggs. - **Symbiotic with:** Griffon Vulture (*Gyps fulvus*) — Often seen scavenging alongside other vultures. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Thermoregulating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thermoregulating): Thermoregulating organisms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite fluctuations in the external environment. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Regenerative](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/regenerative): Regenerative organisms possess the ability to regrow lost or damaged body parts, tissues, or organs. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch these birds from a distance and never disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Egyptian Vulture? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Egyptian Vulture? 55-65 cm ### What is Egyptian Vulture's wingspan? 155-170 cm ### How much does Egyptian Vulture weigh? 1.6-2.4 kg ### How long does Egyptian Vulture live? 20-30 years ### How fast can Egyptian Vulture move? 60 km/h ### What does Egyptian Vulture eat? This resourceful bird cleans up nature by mostly eating dead animals and eggs! ### Where is Egyptian Vulture usually found? Desert ## Where to spot - [Alto Tajo Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alto-tajo-natural-park) — Castilla-La Mancha, ES · Park - [Hoces del Río Riaza Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoces-del-rio-riaza-natural-park) — Castilla y León, ES · Park - [Monfragüe National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monfrague-national-park) — Mainland, ES · Park - [Barranco del Río Dulce Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barranco-del-rio-dulce-natural-park) — Castilla-La Mancha, ES · Park - [Terra delle Gravine Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/terra-delle-gravine-regional-nature-park) — IT · Park - [Foz de Arbaiun Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/foz-de-arbaiun-nature-reserve) — Navarra, ES · Park [View all places to see Egyptian Vulture](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/egyptian-vulture) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Egyptian Vulture: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/egyptian-vulture)