55 days old Eurasian Griffon Vulture chick

Giant Eurasian Griffon Vulture chick in Zoo of Duisburg.

Hehe, let me quote Katja: "Congratulations, we have mastered standing still without falling over!!!"

Because of the blazing heat the chick was panting for breath all the time.

Almost at the same height.

"Air, I need some air!"

Majestic vulture-daddy.

Today Katja explained me this pose is called: "Unihemispheric Sleep". The hemisphere behind the OPEN eye is sleeping. In general the complete side of the animals body is sleeping, too, and the wing of this side is going slack. Very interesting! I remember I saw this phenomena when being in Croatia in 2010 and 2011. But at this time I thought the side of the closed eye is the sleeping one...