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Vulture: Nature's Ghastly Gourmet

Although veteran science writer Wayne Grady includes a discussion of the Old World vultures, Vulture focuses on the seven species of New World vultures, describing their mating, breeding and feeding habits as well as their bad breath and untidy nests. Some vultures rely on their exceptionally keen eyesight, whereas others have a highly developed sense of smell. All vultures ride the thermals more efficiently than any other bird, gliding for miles without expending a single calorie of energy. Grady also explores the relationship between vultures and human beings. California condors were the origin of the Thunderbird myth, and the Egyptian vulture was declared sacred by the Pharaohs. In Sky Burials in India and Tibet, the dead are left on the famed Towers of Silence to be eaten by hordes of vultures. The book ends with the story of the California condor, which has been rescued from the brink of extinction by a dedicated team of scientists and conservationists.

  • Format
  • hardcover
  • Pages
  • 110
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 9780871569820
  • Genres
  • birds, nature, animals, science
  • Release date
  • 1997