Bearded vultures live high up in the mountains of Europe, Asia and Africa. They are very big birds.

A bearded vulture has a dark beard by its beak. Both males and females have the beard. Most vultures have bald heads, but this bird has feathers on its head.

Next, let us look at its colors. A young bearded vulture is dark brown. A grown-up has orange feathers, most of all on its chest.

A bearded vulture eats mostly bones. It swallows small bones whole. It has very strong acid in its stomach, which helps it digest bones.

Some bones are too big to swallow. The bird carries one high up and drops it onto rocks.

In Spain, people call this bird Quebrantahuesos. The word means bone breaker. Its other name is lammergeier.

Next, let us see how it finds food. A bearded vulture finds food by using its eyes, and it helps clean up nature by eating what other animals leave behind.

Young chicks cannot digest bone. Their parents bring them fresh meat first.

A bearded vulture builds its nest on a ledge of a rock cliff.

It can glide for hours without flapping its wings.

Words to know

• digest: break down food
• acid: strong liquid
• bald: with no feathers
• ledge: rock shelf
• glide: fly smoothly