Lappet-faced vulture
'Torgos tracheliotus'
Other names: Nubian vulture
Swahili: Tumbusi ngusha
Best parks to see it: Widespread
Widespread in central regions and in national parks and reserves, from north to south. Specially abundant in Masai Mara. Solitary or in pairs, nests on trees in open plains. Easily distinguished by the red-rose head, fleshy lappets and ivory-coloured bill, massive and sturdy, which allows it to rip the skin of carcasses and feed on tough parts that other vultures refuse. Occasionally it can kill prey.
Lappet-faced vulture at the Mara river in Masai Mara National Reserve. J.Y./Kenyalogy.com
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