Bone Eater

Bearded vultures (Gypaetus barbatus) are unique among birds for their ability to safely consume whole bones.

They possess highly acidic stomach juices with a pH of around 1, capable of dissolving bone material quickly.

This adaptation allows them to extract nutrients, particularly calcium, from the bones.

Bearded vultures also exhibit remarkable feeding behavior: they often carry large bones into the air and drop them onto rocks to break them into smaller, more manageable pieces.

This strategy, combined with their strong digestive system, enables them to thrive in harsh mountainous regions where other food sources may be scarce.

Their bone-eating habits play a vital role in ecosystems by recycling nutrients from animal remains.