Family - Accipitridae Subfamily - Aegypiinae Identification - Large, eagle-like birds of prey. Plumage generally dark with patches of white or greyish-white on wings. Most species have powerful hooked beaks suited to a mainly carnivorous diet. Naked or down-covered heads, with necks partially bare of feathers as an adaptation to probing into carcasses. Long, broad wings for soaring on thermals. Short tails. Sexes similar in all species except for the white-headed vulture; females have white secondary feathers, males dark grey. The Lammergeyer or bearded vulture is placed in a separate sub-family (Gypaetinae) and has a broad, black stripe running through the eye and ending in a beard of long black bristles around the chin and nostrils. The long pointed wings and diamond-shaped tail are very distinctive. It occurs in mountainous regions, and is well-known for its habit of dropping bones from the air onto rocks to break them up so that it can feed on the marrow. Length - 24 to 39 in (60 to 100 cm) Voice - Normally silent but the majority of species hiss and squawk when competing for food at a carcass. Habitat - All types of country from open plains to semi desert. Habits - Diurnal and gregarious. Often soaring to great heights on thermals particularly in the morning. Glide at speeds of 37 to 40 mph (60 to 64 kph) as they search for carcasses. Unlike the colonial species, the lappet-faced vulture and white-headed vulture are either solitary or in breeding pairs which defend a territory year round. The Ruppell's vulture } is credited as being the worlds highest flying bird, attaining a height of 37,000 ft or seven miles (11,274m). Food - Carrion feeders. The lappet-faced vulture and the white-headed vulture are known to occasionally kill small mammals and nestling flamingos. The hooded vulture and the Egyptian vulture also eat termites. The Egyptian vulture has acquired the unusual habit of dropping stones onto ostrich eggs to crack the shells open so that it can feed on the contents. Nest - Most species construct a large platform of sticks lined with grass and leaves, and at times with skin, hair and dung. The nest is situated in the tops of trees or on rock faces. Ruppell's vulture forms large colonies and roosts and nests on steep cliff faces or in gorges. The Lammergeyer nests in caves or on ledges beneath overhangs high up on rock faces.