Lappet-faced Vulture
Torgos tracheliotus

A: Swartaasvoël
G: Ohrengeier
N: ǂnū kai-anis
Sp: Lenong le leso
Ss: Letlakapipi
Tw: Bibing
X: isilwangangubo
Z: indlangamandla

BIRD FAMILY
Vultures

SIZE
115cm (VL)

HABITAT
Usually occurs in pairs in bushveld or, in the arid west, thornveld and desert. A powerfully built vulture that dominates all others at food sources. Feeding on Carrion, skin and bone fragments from all sized carcasses. Nesting in thorn trees. Has been known to kill own food.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION
Fairly common resident. A huge, massive-billed vulture. Adult has crimson head and neck, and streaked underparts with white ‘pants’, which contrast with dark body and underwings in flight. Immature has dark ‘pants’ and various amounts of white mottling on the mantle; the long feathers of its ruff can be raised to frame its head.