— have been seen soaring as high as 17,000 feet

— regularly occur higher than any other bird of prey in Africa

— prey is normally identified from a perch - also hunts in flight

— sibling aggression usually means the youngest of 2 chicks dies

— highly successful and abundant raptor

— omnivorous and has developed a commensal relationship with man

— likely because a feathered head would become spattered with blood etc.

— they will wait, several days if necessary, until a carnivore leaves a carcass

— they have backward-facing spines on the tongue to help remove meat from bone

— highly social

— roost until 2 hours after sun-rise

— fly when enough thermal currents to provide lift

— named for the 19th century German explorer, collector and zoologist Eduard Rüppell

— scavenger birds

— will devour until can hardly fly

— they feed mostly on the carcasses of dead animals

— Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight