A Eurasian Black Vulture buzzed off

Andean Condor Santiago, the Turkey Vultures, Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Himalayan Griffon Vultures and Rueppell's Griffons are not the only vultures living in the ornithological station "Greifvogelstation Hellenthal". There is also Eurasian Black Vulture "Whiskey".

In contrast to the other vultures inside their enclosures Whiskey was sitting outside, next to the flight show area. His neighbours were nonstop screaming Lesser Spotted Eagles...

When the first flight show started there was not enough wind and no thermals for the 10 kg vulture. But to get more attention he spread his wings and people started taking pictures of him instead of the small flying falcoons.

A wonderful, exceedingly modest looking guy!

At my request he did not hesitate shaking his plumage just to make it possible taking this picture for Katja ;o)

For the second flight show the wind freshened and a keeper brought Whiskey to the flight show area.

One time powerfully flapping his wings...

... and he raised himself into the air!

What a giant bird in the sky!!! In contrast to the Eurasian Black Vultures the falcoons and bussards looked like tiny Sparrows!

One moment Whiskey was circling over our heads and the next moment he was gone!!! We were waiting half an hour or even longer, waiting for him to come back. But he buzzed off! Maybe he found a tasty fresh carrion on the road?
When the third flight show of the day started we thought Whiskey would come back when seeing his friends flying in the sky, but he didn't. With an uneasy feeling we wanted to say goodbye to the vultures inside the big enclosure. On our way we were talking to a keeper, who told us Whiskey likes to buzz off during the flight shows. Sometimes he comes home few days later, most of the time he is just sitting on top of the vultures' living community enclosure, making fun of his vulture-friends by throwing little branches inside ;o) And there he was!!!

Thank God he's safe!!!

Relaxed sitting on top of the enclosure with a strong and majestic smile - no fences frustrating him!!!

But there's one question left: During the flight show we got the information that Whiskey is 63 years old. In zoos vultures can get very old indeed, but at the age of 63 Whiskey would be as old as Methuselah and not able to take part in flight shows anymore!? Was it just a blooper? Or is it a living miracle?

Vultures' living community

In the ornithological station "Greifvogelstation Hellenthal" are not just Santiago, the Andean Condor, and a Eurasian Black Vulture living, but also many different vultures in a vultures' living community!!!

A door plates says that in this vultures' living community there are Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Himalayan Griffon Vultures, Rueppell's Griffons and Bateleur Eagles. But I have to confess that I neither saw Black Vultures nor had a chance to differentiate the Eurasian Griffon Vultures from Himalayan Griffon Vultures. Himalayan Griffon Vultures are light grey while Eurasian Griffon Vultures are brown, but inside their nesting areas with bad lighting conditions they were all looking the same. Fortunately Turkey Vultures and Rueppell's Griffons are easy to recognize!

180° panorama of the vulture's enclosure.

Very nice with a vulture statue infront of the enclosure.

Rueppell's Griffon with it's strikingly plumage colouration.

Probably Himalayan Griffon Vultures.

Rueppell's Griffon.

Eurasian Griffon Vulture? Or Himalayan Griffon Vulture? Very difficult to differentiate!

While the "long-necked" vultures were hiding inside their nesting areas not moving very much the cute Turkey Vultures knew how to make people pay attention to them!!! What a beautiful face ;o)

Lovely portraits!!!

Naughty wing nibble.

The Turkey Vultures came to the fence very close and were posing very elegant. That's why I stopped watching the other vultures and took one pictures of Turkey Vultures after another! Maybe I was the person who ever took pictures of them???

This guy has a strikingly red head! I never saw a Turkey Vulture with such an extreme colouration before! On this picture you can see the hole inside the vulture's beak: It's his nose without a nasal septum that makes the vulture smell very well. Awwwww, Eau de Carrion!

Shy sideglance.

Warming in the sun.

And always playing around with little sticks and branches.

Conclusion: In contrast to the tiny cage of the Andean Condor I really like the big vultures' living community enclosure!!! What makes this enclosure so sensational is that New World Vultures (Turkey Vultures and maybe latent Black Vultures) and Old World Vultures (Eurasian Griffon Vultures, Himalayan Griffon Vultures, Rueppell's Griffons) are living together here! In the wildlife it's impossible, because New World Vultures are living in North and South America while Old World Vultures are living in Europe, Asia and Africa.