White-backed Vulture

The White-backed Vulture is the only old world vulture in the same family as hawks, kites, and buzzards. It has typical vulture characteristics with down feathers on its head and neck, broad wings, and short tail feathers.

The White-backed Vulture is a scavenger species and can fly great distances in search of food. It often relies on other scavengers or fellow vultures to locate food and feeds off the carcasses of dead animals. It plays a vital role in keeping its ecosystem clean and free of disease. The White-backed Vulture spends a significant amount of time preening and will often sit around a waterhole for hours cleaning its feathers.

It moves in flocks and breeds in trees, laying just one large egg. This species has become Critically Endangered over the last few years due to poisoning.