Vulture Action and Dancing Little Bustards

Trip Details

It’s still chilly—just a few degrees above freezing early in the morning, even though it’s the second half of April. At just over 2,000 meters in the southern Pyrenees, the air doesn’t begin to warm until the sun has been up for several hours. A pair of Griffon Vultures glides past in the distance when suddenly, a Bearded Vulture sweeps majestically across the valley below. It descends and lands gracefully on a rocky ledge. For a moment, it almost seems to be admiring the vast landscape. A second Bearded Vulture circles in and lands just behind the first—likely a nesting site nearby on the slope explains the scene.

There are 23 species of vultures worldwide. The four that breed in Europe—specifically southern Europe—are the Bearded Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Cinereous (Black) Vulture, and Egyptian Vulture. While these species are also found in other parts of the world, the Bearded Vultures in Ethiopia, for instance, appear slightly smaller than their Spanish counterparts. This difference might simply be due to climate—animals in colder environments like the Pyrenees, Alps, or northern Greece often grow larger than those in warmer climates.

Vultures are primarily scavengers, although researchers working on a vulture conservation project in Spain once told me about a few Griffon Vultures that had started preying on weak or sick animals, usually juveniles. But in general, vultures are nature’s cleanup crew. By consuming all kinds of carcasses, they play a critical role in reducing disease and preventing the spread of infection.

Globally, fewer than 5,000 Cinereous Vultures remain, making it one of the most threatened vulture species. In recent years, it has been reintroduced in northern Spain, where it can now be seen at specially managed “vulture restaurants”—sites that provide clean, vet-inspected carrion for endangered species. These feeding sites also benefit other threatened species like the Egyptian Vulture.

The Cinereous Vulture is a formidable bird—when it lands at one of these feeding sites, even the usually dominant Griffon Vultures step aside.

Feeding on carcasses is a messy job. That’s why most vulture species have featherless heads and necks. But the Bearded Vulture stands apart. It is fully feathered, even on the head, and has a distinctive “beard”—a small tuft of feathers that hangs beneath the beak.

Its diet also sets it apart. Bearded Vultures often arrive at feeding sites only after the others have stripped the carcass clean, leaving behind only bones. And bones are what it wants—specifically the rich, fatty marrow inside. To access it, the Bearded Vulture has developed a remarkable technique. If it doesn’t swallow the bones whole—yes, some of them do—it will either smash them against rocks or fly up 40–50 meters and drop them onto boulders to crack them open.

While many vulture species breed in colonies, the Bearded Vulture is more solitary, like the Egyptian and Cinereous Vultures. A single bird may glide as far as 700 kilometers in one day if the winds are favorable. Territories are vast, and nesting sites are often spaced by at least 10 kilometers. On a global scale, the Bearded Vulture is not critically endangered. In 2004, BirdLife International estimated the global population to be between 2,000 and 10,000 individuals.

In Europe, however, it is among the most threatened raptors. Just a couple of hundred years ago, it was relatively common. But when the EU banned the traditional practice of leaving livestock carcasses in the field, vultures lost a vital food source. Vulture restaurants became a lifeline.

Like other vulture species, the Bearded and Egyptian Vultures were hit hard by the veterinary use of diclofenac in India, where its use on livestock was eventually banned 20 years ago. Unfortunately, some local authorities in Spain and Italy have since permitted diclofenac again, posing a renewed threat to these already vulnerable European populations.

The Little Bustard’s Flamenco Dance

In Sweden, we have four lekking bird species: Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Great Snipe, and Ruff. In southern Europe—and especially Spain—one of the most fascinating display species is the Little Bustard, whose traditional lekking grounds are now increasingly endangered. For many bird photographers, seeing and capturing the Little Bustard’s courtship display has long been a dream. The males perform dramatic jumps and displays during a brief mating season that lasts from early April through the first weeks of May—precisely when we plan this tour.

During lek, male Little Bustards are far less shy than their northern relatives like the Capercaillie, although the females are even more elusive. Mating takes place well hidden in tall grass.

The males’ display consists of wing-flapping, followed by a distinctive foot-stamping rhythm—almost like a miniature flamenco dance—that builds in intensity before the male performs his signature leap.

When Brutus visited the fields outside Montgai in 2014, one particular male stood out. He arrived long before sunrise, while the others were still hidden. He began displaying in total darkness, the fields illuminated only by distant headlights. He continued his dance well into late morning, long after the other males had come and gone.