With its bare, pink face and bright orange-red bill with a peacock blue base, this is one of Africa’s most colourful vultures. The white-headed vulture gets its name from the downy, white feathers on its head which give it an angular appearance. The bright facial colours contrast sharply with the black body, tail, wings and high ruff around its neck. The belly and thighs are white and its legs are pale pin. Like other vultures, the white-headed vulture has a number of adaptations for feeding on the carcasses of large animals, but is also capable of killing small prey. The strong bill is capable of tearing flesh and the sharp, curved talons can grasp and pierce prey. Their large, broad wings can carry them for hours as they search for food. |
