Rueppell's Griffon Vulture Gandalf

One year ago I already read an article in the internet about a "monstrous bird" making troubles over Scottland. This "monstrous bird" is 7 years old female Rueppell's Griffon Vulture called "Gandalf", who is living in the Centre for Birds of Prey „World of Wings“ in Scottish Cumbernauld near Glasgow.

By a fortunate coincidence I got in contact to a nice woman working in a Scottish Raptor Centre few days ago and luckily it's the same "World of Wings" Centre! Good reason for a belatedly article about this cute Rueppell's Griffon girl with a boy's name!

In August 2010, as usual, Gandalf was part of the flight show to show her amazing flying skills. But on this day she either didn't like to make stunts for the spectators or a wind gust took her away? Who knows, but she disappeared.

The vulture has a wingspan of 3,20 m and is an impressive appearance on Scottlands sky, where in general just golden Eagles are flying, who have a much shorter wingspan. Because Rueppell's Griffon Vultures can soar up to 11.000 m the Raptor Centre gave a warning to the airports and air traffic. Hopefully there will be no collision of the vulture and an airplane.

Rueppell's Griffon Vultures live in African savanna, but Gandalf came to Scottland some years ago to take part in a breeding programm.

Luckily her excursion just took four days before she was spotted sitting on a telegraph pole. She was very exhausted and starved, that's why it was easy enticing her with a big piece of meat, catching her and bringing her back home.

Happy Ending! 

I would like to thank Emma very much for the wonderful pictures, our friendly chat and all the information. Hope to meet you one!!!

111 days old Eurasian Griffon Vulture fledgeling

After three weeks of withdrawal I visited the Eurasian Griffon Vulture chick in the Zoo of Duisburg today. Well, what can I say!? It's not a chick anymore, it's a fledgeling!!! This time I never saw the cute vulture-girl inside the nest, but anywhere else. Next to the pond, next to the Marabou colony, lying in the grass, sitting on trunks...

Carefully cleaning her feathers and arranging them after a morning swim.

Oh, what a beauty!!!

Even if the vulture-girl looked very small and shy next to the big Marabou, she's a deep me! Just few minutes later she turned around, shooing away the whole Marabou colony!!!

Poo...

It's so cute, when she's shaking and ruffling her plumage:

Short rest, thinking up new pranks.

Sad view: Her wings have to be cut, because she's able to fly and could escape from the open enclosure.

Vulture-mommy prefers the warm metal support for a rest.

Vulture-daddy snoozing in the grass.

Even if her wing-feathers are cut she tries to fly. Maybe she will move to another zoo with a big enclosure one day, where she can enjoy her ability to fly.

Unusual view: The vulture-girl is protecting her mommy against the big porcupine.

Vulture-mommy.

Vulture-daddy.

Vulture-girl.

Family getaway to the "lake" ;o) Vulture-daddy infront, vulture-mommy in the middle and vulture-girl on the right.

Vulture-girl behind, vulture-mommy infront.

Vulture-daddy infront, vulture-mommy in the middle and vulture-girl sitting on a perch.

And here some pictures of my "Special Guests", Marabous:

Please, bring me the little stick.

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?