25+ Interesting Facts About Vultures

Vulture is the most famous scavenger among birds. It is present on all continents except Australia and Antarctica . Vultures are among the few land birds that can remain in the air for long periods without flapping their wings. They do so thanks to low wing loading and low aspect ratio of wings. ( Source ) It is a myth that vultures circle dead or dying animals. They sit and patiently wait for the death of a dying animal. They mostly circle high in the sky while searching for food. ( Source ) There are mainly two types of vultures according to their location. These are Old World vultures (present in Asia , Africa, and Europe) and New World vultures (present in the Americas). Ruppell’s griffon vulture can fly at an altitude that is not possible for any other bird due to cold and lack of oxygen. The confirmed flight of this central African native vulture is 37,000 ft. (11,278 m) above sea level. In 1974, it collided with an airplane at this altitude. ( Source ) The Ruppell’s griff