

The adult Bearded Vulture in the picture was the first bird that appeared in the air around the Vulture hide at approximately 9AM. Photo by Crowpix Media.

With a wingspan of up to 2.9 meters, the adult bird can weigh as much as 6 kilograms. The Bearded Vulture is a large and impressive-looking bird with unique characteristics. The photograph above clearly shows the enormous wingspan of the adult bird and the red chest plumage that is indicative of the adult Bearded Vulture. Photo by Crowpix Media.

The Bearded Vulture scouts the land below through its red eye for bones or carcasses to feed on. Photo by Crowpix Media.

The mighty Bearded Vulture soar along the wind channels created in the mountain atmosphere. Their large wingspan is impressive. Photo by Crowpix Media.

A little while later, a young Bearded Vulture appeared in the sky, scouting out the ground where the animal bones lay. You can tell the young Vultures by the colour of their feathers. The young ones do not have the oxidated rust-orange feathers yet. The rust-coloured feathers are indicative of adult Bearded Vultures. Photo by Crowpix Media.

A young Bearded Vulture carries darker plumage, and after about four years, white feathers develop and then later the oxidated rust-orange feathers. Photo by Crowpix Media.

It was winter when I took these photos. Winter is when the Bearded Vulture sightings are best as the weather conditions tend to be less rainy. The birds prefer leaving their cliff nests when the weather conditions are favorable, i.e., with little to no wind, rain, or other adverse weather conditions. Photo by Crowpix Media.

The weather conditions on the day were perfect for photography - a photographer's dream. As a result of the great weather, plenty of animals were active around the hide, including Crows, Jackals, and another critically endangered vulture, the Cape Vulture. Photo by Crowpix Media.

The birds fooled around in the air, and the Crows played games with the Vultures, challenging the larger species. Photo by Crowpix Media.

At times, the flight paths of the young Bearded Vultures fell in line with the adult birds, and the family of vultures soared harmoniously, always intent on feeding on the bones I had strewn on the mountain below. Photo by Crowpix Media.
