# Himalayan Vulture



## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

I stumbled across this picture the other day, I have never been as close to one of these birds as this photographer was. Many years ago when I was doing graduate work in central Mongolia, we would occasionally see these vultures. They are very large, about the size of Condors here in the states and were famous as the birds involved in Himalayan sky burials.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That is an amazing pic and for a vulture a beautiful bird. 

I wonder how many know what sky burials are. Do they still do them?


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> That is an amazing pic and for a vulture a beautiful bird.
> 
> I wonder how many know what sky burials are. Do they still do them?


Almost everyone is cremated now. Some monks and lamas as well as the indigenous shamans may still do them. Seeing all the bleached bones on the tops of the lower mountains is a sobering lesson on the nature of impermanence.


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## SilkieGirl (Apr 29, 2021)

Imagine that thing chasing you. Honestly, large birds scare me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

SilkieGirl said:


> Imagine that thing chasing you. Honestly, large birds scare me.


You could be like @Hania41806, afraid of the dark and have a tiny owl living with your pigeons scare you half to death.


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## SilkieGirl (Apr 29, 2021)

Yeah, no. Owls are scary. Honestly, pigeons are too.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

LOL Hania needs to post a pic of the owl again. The thing is really really small and just so cute. And it doesn't harass her pigeons.


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## SilkieGirl (Apr 29, 2021)

Some of the cutest things are the most dangerous. I admit, I wouldn't mind seeing a pic.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If I remember right, it was roosting next to one of her pigeons.


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## SilkieGirl (Apr 29, 2021)

LOL. Are owls social creatures?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I don't know but I don't think so. He or she just found a cozy place to sleep at night.

It was a surprise to me that there was actually an owl that was not a threat to domesticated birds.


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## SilkieGirl (Apr 29, 2021)

Me either. Huh, interesting.

Same here.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

That is an extremely cute owl.


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## lovely_chooks (Mar 19, 2021)

Poultry Judge said:


> I stumbled across this picture the other day, I have never been as close to one of these birds as this photographer was. Many years ago when I was doing graduate work in central Mongolia, we would occasionally see these vultures. They are very large, about the size of Condors here in the states and were famous as the birds involved in Himalayan sky burials.
> 
> View attachment 43815


I really thought the shoulder part we’re the eyes and the head was big I was fooled.


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