Page 415 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WILDFOWL/BIRDS OF PREY
Family Anatidae Species Oxyura leucocephala Family Accipitridae Species Gypaetus barbatus
White-headed Duck Lammergeier

Stiff-tailed ducks include the introduced Ruddy Duck One of Europe’s most spectacular birds, the
(see p.119) and native White-headed Duck in Europe. Lammergeier is a massive, long-tailed vulture, flying
The latter is bulkier, paler, and less rich red in colour: with occasional deep,slow wingbeats but mostly with
drakes have more white on the head and swollen, pale long, flat-winged, magnificent glides.Adults have
sky-blue bills, while females have grey bills with a white heads and rusty underparts and look shiny
swollen base and black and whitish bands across the charcoal-grey above. Immatures are more uniformly
cheek. Immatures have black heads. grey or dark-hooded and paler-bellied.The long,
OCCURRENCE Rare in S Spain and Turkey, on large wedge-shaped tail is most obvious on males.
freshwater lakes. OCCURRENCE Rare in Pyrenees, Crete, and Balkans;
VOICE Mostly silent. reintroduced in Alps.
MALE
(SUMMER) VOICE Silent.
stiff tail white flat wings
head sky-blue
bill
white head

diamond-shaped tail
ADULT
Length 43–48cm (17–19in) Wingspan 60–70cm (23 1 ⁄2 –28in) Length 1.05–1.25m (3 1 ⁄2 –4ft) Wingspan 2.35–2.75m (7 3 ⁄4 –9ft)

Family Accipitridae Species Torgos tracheliotus Family Accipitridae Species Aquila heliaca
Lappet-faced Vulture Imperial Eagle
A massive vulture, the Lappet-faced Vulture resembles This large, dark eagle has a pale grey base to the tail
the Black Vulture (see p.122) but has a paler body and and white marks on the shoulders. Immatures are
shows narrow pale lines across the underwing. Close paler, with a bold pale rump, white upperwing bands,
views reveal a bluish white head and very deep pale and contrasted underwings with a pale patch behind
bill.The wings are broad, deeply fingered, and the angle.They have buffish bodies, with heavy,dark
bulging on the rear edge; the tail is extremely short. streaks.The wings are held flat or drooped in a glide,
The wings are held flat or slightly arched in flight, unlike the Golden Eagle (see p.126).
which consists mostly of a series of long glides and OCCURRENCE Rare in upland forests in Balkans.
high, circling soaring. VOICE Loud, barking notes.
OCCURRENCE Very rare, in Middle East.
VOICE Silent.
deeply fingered wings
dark brown streaks
on breast
narrow
pale lines
dark
hindwings
saw-toothed
rear edge
pale window on
ADULT JUVENILE
inner primaries
Length 0.98–1.12m (3 1 ⁄4 –3 3 ⁄4ft) Wingspan 2.5–2.8m (8 1 ⁄4 –9 1 ⁄4ft) Length 70–80cm (28–32in) Wingspan 1.75–2.05m (5 3 ⁄4 –6 3 ⁄4ft)
413