Due to harsh winter in Mongolia, spring is the best season for birdman to observe birds from tropic countries. Mongolia has 38 homeland places for migratory birds and one of them is beautiful and rocky mountain which is called Erdenesant and it`s located in Tuv aimag. We visited Erdenesant Mountains at the beginning of last spring where some carnivorous birds settle.
We saw Cinereous Vulture /Aegypius monachus/ while walking south of the mountain.
We were so excited to see one more Cinereous Vulture that was busy carrying a branch to settle its nest, it means, spring is coming and we can observe migratory birds soon.
Vultures were building their nest at rock slope.
After a while, Upland buzzard flew away. But we were quite far to take picture so we asked from native and he told us the direction where he has seen the bird we were looking for.
At the dark side of Khanan Baits Mountain, we found the bird that we were looking for. We went after the bird and found their nest at the highest and steep side of rock. There`s no way to getting close to the nest but we climbed to the near rock to watch the nest. Finally, we climbed and that was one challenging climb.
A huge shadow passed above us while we were lying on the top of the mountain. It tilted its head slightly and stared at us with bright red and yellow eyes, while it was flying.
That was one enormous bird with thick and tangled feather, yellow chest and black nailed claw. This was the lord of the highest mountain, the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).
The bird’s length is 1000–1300 mm with a wingspan of 2.3–2.8 m and it weights 4500-7000 gr.
Bearded vulture is very gracious bird. With the help of its long tail and narrow wings it is extremely good at flying beyond the canyon.
Bearded vulture is very curious creature behind it`s enormous size. He flew over us few times and went back to its nest. Its long tail is bothering him on long stand.
This bird graciuos enough to seem like a strong hero standing on a guard. Its breeding period is during winter and it lays a clutch of 1 to 2 eggs, which are laid for two months. Early in the spring, youngsters hatch. As there were no youngsters we decided not to bother it and went back.
We came back to see the nest after 2 weeks later in the middle of April.
The youngster was in the nest and it was moving as if saying it was hungry. Bearded vulture lays two eggs and the only one will survive. Parents feed their young for three to four months.
The nest was too far for the lens to reach, we had to attach handles to take some pictures.
Old familiar couple of Bearded vulture reluctantly flew over us to protect their nest. So, we came down from the mountain.
Once western world believed that the Bearded vulture was Lammergeyer, who grabs lambs, kids and child and then eats them, and destroyed them bringing Bearded Vultures to near extinction. But now they are settling them again and protecting. Bearded vulture feeds mostly on the remains of dead animals, bones and sometimes catches small weak mammals. It has learned to crack big bones by carrying them in flight to a height of 50–150 m (160–490 ft) above the ground and then dropping them onto rocks below, which smashes them into smaller pieces and exposes the nutritious marrow.
Mongolians named bearded vulture as a “ooch yol” by it`s jaw beard.
After the spring tour, Umnugovi aimag announced that the bearded vulture, one of the most rare birds in Mongolia, as a Pride Bird by efforts of birdman Kh.Tumendelger.
Translated by: A.Odontuya
Due to harsh winter in Mongolia, spring is the best season for birdman to observe birds from tropic countries. Mongolia has 38 homeland places for migratory birds and one of them is beautiful and rocky mountain which is called Erdenesant and it`s located in Tuv aimag. We visited Erdenesant Mountains at the beginning of last spring where some carnivorous birds settle.
We saw Cinereous Vulture /Aegypius monachus/ while walking south of the mountain.
We were so excited to see one more Cinereous Vulture that was busy carrying a branch to settle its nest, it means, spring is coming and we can observe migratory birds soon.
Vultures were building their nest at rock slope.
After a while, Upland buzzard flew away. But we were quite far to take picture so we asked from native and he told us the direction where he has seen the bird we were looking for.
At the dark side of Khanan Baits Mountain, we found the bird that we were looking for. We went after the bird and found their nest at the highest and steep side of rock. There`s no way to getting close to the nest but we climbed to the near rock to watch the nest. Finally, we climbed and that was one challenging climb.
A huge shadow passed above us while we were lying on the top of the mountain. It tilted its head slightly and stared at us with bright red and yellow eyes, while it was flying.
That was one enormous bird with thick and tangled feather, yellow chest and black nailed claw. This was the lord of the highest mountain, the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus).
The bird’s length is 1000–1300 mm with a wingspan of 2.3–2.8 m and it weights 4500-7000 gr.
Bearded vulture is very gracious bird. With the help of its long tail and narrow wings it is extremely good at flying beyond the canyon.
Bearded vulture is very curious creature behind it`s enormous size. He flew over us few times and went back to its nest. Its long tail is bothering him on long stand.
This bird graciuos enough to seem like a strong hero standing on a guard. Its breeding period is during winter and it lays a clutch of 1 to 2 eggs, which are laid for two months. Early in the spring, youngsters hatch. As there were no youngsters we decided not to bother it and went back.
We came back to see the nest after 2 weeks later in the middle of April.
The youngster was in the nest and it was moving as if saying it was hungry. Bearded vulture lays two eggs and the only one will survive. Parents feed their young for three to four months.
The nest was too far for the lens to reach, we had to attach handles to take some pictures.
Old familiar couple of Bearded vulture reluctantly flew over us to protect their nest. So, we came down from the mountain.
Once western world believed that the Bearded vulture was Lammergeyer, who grabs lambs, kids and child and then eats them, and destroyed them bringing Bearded Vultures to near extinction. But now they are settling them again and protecting. Bearded vulture feeds mostly on the remains of dead animals, bones and sometimes catches small weak mammals. It has learned to crack big bones by carrying them in flight to a height of 50–150 m (160–490 ft) above the ground and then dropping them onto rocks below, which smashes them into smaller pieces and exposes the nutritious marrow.
Mongolians named bearded vulture as a “ooch yol” by it`s jaw beard.
After the spring tour, Umnugovi aimag announced that the bearded vulture, one of the most rare birds in Mongolia, as a Pride Bird by efforts of birdman Kh.Tumendelger.
Translated by: A.Odontuya