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| Old World vultures are not closely related to the superficially similar ]s and ]s, and do not share that group's good sense of smell. The similarities between the two groups of vultures are due to ] rather than a close relationship. They were widespread in both the Old World and ], during the ]. | Old World vultures are not closely related to the superficially similar ]s and ]s, and do not share that group's good sense of smell. The similarities between the two groups of vultures are due to ] rather than a close relationship. They were widespread in both the Old World and ], during the ]. | ||
| Old World vultures are probably a ] group within Accipitridae, with ], ] and ] separate from the others.{{sfn|Lerner|Mindell|2005}} Most authorities reffer to two major clades: '''Gypaetinae''' (the aforementioned taxa) and '''Aegyptiinae''' ('']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and possibly '']''). The former seem to be nested with ] hawks, while the latter are closely related and possibly even synonimous with ]<ref>(Griffiths et al. 2007, Lerner and Mindell 2005)</ref>. | Old World vultures are probably a ] group within Accipitridae, with ], ] and ] separate from the others.{{sfn|Lerner|Mindell|2005}} Most authorities reffer to two major clades: '''Gypaetinae''' (the aforementioned taxa) and '''Aegyptiinae''' ('']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and possibly '']''). The former seem to be nested with ] hawks, while the latter are closely related and possibly even synonimous with ]<ref>(Griffiths et al. 2007, Lerner and Mindell 2005)</ref>. Within Aegyptiinae, ''Torgos'', ''Aegypius'', ''Sarcogyps'' and ''Trigonoceps'' are particularly closely related and possibly within the same genus.<ref>Mundy, P. et al. 1992. The Vultures of Africa, Academic Press.</ref> | ||
| <ref>Wilber, S. & Jackson, J. 1983. Vulture Biology and Management, University of California</ref> | |||
| Both Old World and New World ]s are scavenging ]s, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead ]s. Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight. A particular characteristic of many vultures is a semi-bald ], sometimes without ]s or with simple down. Historically, it was thought that this was due to feeding habits, as feathers would be glued with decaying flesh and blood. However, more recent studies have shown that it is actually a thermoregulatory adaptation to avoid facial overheating; the presence or absence of complex feathers seems to matter little in feeding habits, as some vultures are quite raptorial<ref>(Ward et al. 2008)</ref> | Both Old World and New World ]s are scavenging ]s, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead ]s. Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight. A particular characteristic of many vultures is a semi-bald ], sometimes without ]s or with simple down. Historically, it was thought that this was due to feeding habits, as feathers would be glued with decaying flesh and blood. However, more recent studies have shown that it is actually a thermoregulatory adaptation to avoid facial overheating; the presence or absence of complex feathers seems to matter little in feeding habits, as some vultures are quite raptorial<ref>(Ward et al. 2008)</ref><ref>Mundy, P. et al. 1992. The Vultures of Africa, Academic Press.</ref> | ||
| <ref>Wilber, S. & Jackson, J. 1983. Vulture Biology and Management, University of California</ref> | |||
| == Species == | == Species == | ||
Revision as of 21:00, 22 February 2013
| Old World vultures | |
|---|---|
| |
| Lappet-faced Vultures (left) and a White-backed Vulture | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Subfamily: | Aegypiinae and Gypaetinae |
| Genera | |
|
See text. | |
Old World vultures belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks.
Old World vultures are not closely related to the superficially similar New World vultures and condors, and do not share that group's good sense of smell. The similarities between the two groups of vultures are due to convergent evolution rather than a close relationship. They were widespread in both the Old World and North America, during the Neogene. Old World vultures are probably a polyphyletic group within Accipitridae, with Palm-nut Vulture, Egyptian Vulture and Lammergeier separate from the others. Most authorities reffer to two major clades: Gypaetinae (the aforementioned taxa) and Aegyptiinae (Aegypius, Gyps, Sarcogyps, Torgos, Trigonoceps and possibly Necrosyrtes). The former seem to be nested with Perninae hawks, while the latter are closely related and possibly even synonimous with Aquilinae. Within Aegyptiinae, Torgos, Aegypius, Sarcogyps and Trigonoceps are particularly closely related and possibly within the same genus.
Both Old World and New World vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight. A particular characteristic of many vultures is a semi-bald head, sometimes without feathers or with simple down. Historically, it was thought that this was due to feeding habits, as feathers would be glued with decaying flesh and blood. However, more recent studies have shown that it is actually a thermoregulatory adaptation to avoid facial overheating; the presence or absence of complex feathers seems to matter little in feeding habits, as some vultures are quite raptorial
Species
Gypaetinae
Genus Gypaetus
- Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus
Genus Gypohierax
- Palm-nut Vulture, Gypohierax angolensis
Genus Neophron
- Egyptian Vulture, Neophron percnopterus
Aegyptiinae
Genus Aegypius
- Cinereous Vulture, Aegypius monachus
Genus Gyps
- Griffon Vulture, Gyps fulvus
- White-rumped Vulture, Gyps bengalensis
- Rüppell's Vulture, Gyps rueppelli
- Indian Vulture, Gyps indicus
- Slender-billed Vulture, Gyps tenuirostris
- Himalayan Vulture, Gyps himalayensis
- White-backed Vulture, Gyps africanus
- Cape Vulture, Gyps coprotheres
Genus Necrosyrtes
- Hooded Vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus
Genus Sarcogyps
- Red-headed Vulture, Sarcogyps calvus
Genus Torgos
- Lappet-faced Vulture, Torgos tracheliotus
Genus Trigonoceps
- White-headed Vulture, Trigonoceps occipitalis
Threat due to diclofenac poisoning
Diclofenac poisoning has caused the vulture population in India and Pakistan to decline by up to 95% in the past decade, and two or three of the species of vulture in South Asia are nearing extinction. This has been caused by the practice of medicating working farm animals with diclofenac, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with anti-inflammatory and pain killing actions. Diclofenac administration keeps animals that are ill or in pain working on the land for longer, but, if the ill animals die, their carcasses contain diclofenac. Farmers leave the dead animals out in the open, relying on vultures to tidy up. Diclofenac present in carcass flesh is eaten by vultures, which are sensitive to diclofenac, and they suffer kidney failure, visceral gout, and death as a result of diclofenac poisoning.
The decline in vultures has led to hygiene problems in India as carcasses of dead animals now tend to rot, or be eaten by rats or wild dogs, rather than be tidied up by vultures. Rabies among these other scavengers is a major health threat. India has one of the world's highest incidences of rabies.
The decline in vultures causes particular problems for certain communities, such as the Parsi, who practice sky burials, where the human dead are put on the top of a Tower of Silence and are eaten by vultures, leaving only dry bones.
Meloxicam (another NSAID) has been found to be harmless to vultures and should prove an acceptable alternative to diclofenac. The Government of India banned diclofenac, but over a year later, in 2007, it continued to be sold and is still a problem in other parts of the world.
In culture
Ancient Egypt
The Egyptians considered the vulture to be an excellent mother, and the wide wingspan was seen as all-encompassing and providing a protective cover to her infants. The white Egyptian vulture was the animal picked to represent Nekhbet, the mother goddess and protective patron of southern, Upper Egypt. The vulture hieroglyph
|
was the Egyptian sign used for the sound (3) including words such as mother, prosperous, grandmother, and ruler.
Hinduism
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, there appear two demi-gods who had the form of vultures, Jatayu (Sanskrit: जटायू, jaṭāyū) and his brother Sampaati, with whom are associated stories of courage and self-sacrifice.
When young, the two used to compete as to who could fly higher. On one such instance Jatayu flew so high that he was about to get seared by sun's flames. Sampaati saved his brother by spreading his own wings and thus shielding Jatayu from the hot flames. In the process, Sampaati himself got injured and lost his wings. As a result Sampaati lived wingless for the rest of his life.
When Jatayu was old, he witnessed the beautiful Sita, wife of the god Rama, being kidnapped by Ravana. Jatayu tried to save her but was defeated and mortally wounded. When he lay dying he was still able to tell Rama and his brother Lakshmana in which direction Sita was being taken, facilitating her eventual rescue.
Tibet
In the Tibetan practice of sky burial, vultures and other birds eat human corpses.
Contemporary concepts
Although the vulture plays an important natural role, in the Western world, the image of the vulture is quite negative, with 'vulture' used as a metaphor for those who prey on the weak or dying, with associated negative connotations of cowardice and selfishness.
Conservation efforts
A project named "Vulture Restaurant" is underway in Nepal in an effort to conserve the dwindling number of vultures. The "restaurant" is an open grassy area where naturally dying, sick, and old cows are fed to the vultures.
References
- Lerner & Mindell 2005. sfn error: no target: CITEREFLernerMindell2005 (help)
- (Griffiths et al. 2007, Lerner and Mindell 2005)
- Mundy, P. et al. 1992. The Vultures of Africa, Academic Press.
- Wilber, S. & Jackson, J. 1983. Vulture Biology and Management, University of California
- (Ward et al. 2008)
- Mundy, P. et al. 1992. The Vultures of Africa, Academic Press.
- Wilber, S. & Jackson, J. 1983. Vulture Biology and Management, University of California
- "AnimalDiversityWeb: Aegypius: Classification". AnimalDiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
- ^
"Painkillers turned bird killers". New Scientist (2577): p7. 2006-11-14.
{{cite journal}}:|page=has extra text (help) - Di Quinzio & McCarthy 2008. sfn error: no target: CITEREFDi_QuinzioMcCarthy2008 (help)
- Haviland, Charles (2008-07-31). "Nepal's 'restaurant' for vultures". BBC News. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
- A vulture restaurant in South Africa
- Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi: 10.1503/cmaj.071443 , please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with
|doi= 10.1503/cmaj.071443instead. - Ferguson-Lees, James; Christie, David A. (2001). Raptors of the World. Illustrated by Kim Franklin, David Mead, and Philip Burton. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-618-12762-7. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Grimmett, Richard; Inskipp, Carol; Inskipp, Tim (1999). Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Illustrated by Clive Byers et al. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-04910-6. OCLC 43578307.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.04.010 , please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with
|doi= 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.04.010instead. - Sinclair, Ian; Hockey, Phil; Tarboton, Warwick (2002). SASOL Birds of Southern Africa. Illustrated by Peter Hayman & Norman Arlott (3rd ed.). Cape Town: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-721-6.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - "Bird groups hopeful on vultures". London: BBC News. 2006-02-06. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
{{cite web}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Gentleman, Amelia (2006-03-28). "India's Vultures Fall Prey to a Drug in the Cattle They Feed On". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
{{cite news}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Nair, Preetu (2009-05-09). "Rare breed of vulture spotted in Goa after eight years". Times Of India. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
{{cite web}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)
External links
- Vulture videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- videos, photographs and resources on Indian birds
- A griffon vulture nest on the Web
| Old World vultures (subfamily: Aegypiinae) | |
|---|---|
| Genus | Species |
| Aegypius | |
| Gypaetus | |
| Gypohierax | |
| Gyps | |
| Necrosyrtes | |
| Neophron | |
| Sarcogyps | |
| Torgos | |
| Trigonoceps | |