Andorra is the world’s only co-principality which is ruled by two princes, jointly. They love prosperity, they love to pray. That’s why the national bird of Andorra is a Lammergeier. It’s also known as bearded vulture. People call it a bird of play.
The scientific name of this species is Gypaetus barbatus which is also the only one member of genus Gypaetus; so much co-related with the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra. Both are only one of their kinds!
Though there is no information which government department has finalized this bird as the national bird, it’s clear that the Department of Environment of the Government of Andorra is working days and nights with the Association for the Defense of Nature developed PACT so that this animal can be preserved.
Interesting Facts About Andorra’s National Bird
Lammergeier lives on cargs in mountains in Indian Subcontinent, the Caucaus, Southeren Europe, Africa and Tibet. It’s also spelled lammergeyer or lammergeir or ossifrage and In German, it is called “lamb vulture”, Lammergeyer consists almost 70-90% bone.
Basic Description of the Bearded Vulture
- Long: 94–125 cm
- Wingspan: 2.31–2.83 m
- Weight: 4.5–7.8 kg
- The nominate race averaging: 6.21 kg
- Female vultures are larger than male vultures
- Wing Chord: 71.5–91 cm
- Wedge-shaped Tail: 42.7–52 cm
- Lammergeier avoid remains of larger species like cows and horses
Scientific Classification of Gypaetus Barbatus:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Accipitriformes
- Family: Accipitridae
- Genus: Gypaetus ,Storr- 1784
- Species: G. barbatus
Vulture’s Psychology and behavior:
Mostly these birds are scavengers. Their first priority is to eat dead animals. Their acid concentration is so much powerful that they can digest a full-size bone within a day only. They gain most of their body energy from bone marrow. Even their gastric acid can digest extreme harmful bacteria.
They build their nest in high mountainous plentiful cliffs, crags, and precipices region. They naturally live in a less populated area where the chances of getting rotten dead animals are high.
Their egg takes at least one and a half winter to hatches. One female bearded lay max one or two eggs. At the beginning of the spring, you may watch new member in their nest.
A full-size male bird cans 37–49 inches long and weights up to 4.5 to 7.8 kg. The female animal is a bit longer than male which leads to being bulkier few kgs more.
Though the bird has a powerful neck and thick, their head is smaller than other eagles. The bald head is another important part of their feeding mechanism which they enter inside of a fresh dead.
Many people don’t like this decaying animal flesh behavior, but it plays an important role in the ecosystem. These necrophagous insects prevent deadliest diseases like anthrax and rabies. Dead animals are the cause of spreading these deadly viruses.
Though the animal is honored as becoming the national bird, yet their living is under threat of human disturbance. Many of those have been killed or injured by a human. But the good news is Andorra is on the highest alert to preserve their kind.
