Descriptive List of Birds 



Vultures 



Vultures are large, dull-plum aged birds 

 which feed chiefly on carrion. Most of them 

 have the head and neck devoid of feathers, 

 and hooked bills adapted to tearing flesh. 

 Their habit is to sail high in the air on out- 

 stretched wings, watching for some dead 

 animal to devour. 



146. Otogyps calvus : The Black or Pondi- 

 cherry Vulture. F. 1191, J. 2, +V, nearly 

 twice the size of the kite. E. W. 



Plumage black, with white thighs. White 

 breast. Wattles and bare head and neck red. 

 Fairly common at most hill stations. 



147. Gyps himalayensis : The Himalayan 

 Griffon. F. 1193, J. 3, +V, more than twice 

 the size of the kite. W. 



A dingy, grey-brown bird, washed with buff 

 on rump. No white in wings. 



The commonest vulture of the Western 

 Himalayan stations. 



148. Pseudogyps bengalensis : The Indian 

 White-backed Vulture. F. 1196, J. 5, +V, 

 nearly a yard long. E. W. 



A brownish-black bird with the lower back 

 white. This white, which is visible when the 

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