Did you know that the largest birds in Russia live on the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains, and are also found in the Krasnodar Region and Dagestan? If you put these birds next to a standing person, their head with a powerful beak will be at about waist level. Their wingspan reaches 3 meters, and their vision is seven times sharper than that of a person. They feed on carrion and can see fresh meat from a height of about 2 kilometers above the ground. In search of food, they are able to cover huge distances of up to 400 kilometers – to save energy, they use natural currents of warm air. Have you already guessed which bird we are talking about?
The black vulture is the largest bird in Russia, but it has a couple of worthy competitors. Photo source: pofoto.club
Contents
- 1 The largest birds in Russia
- 1.1 What does a black vulture look like
- 1.2 Where do black vultures live
- 1.3 Scavengers in Russia
- 2 Steller's sea eagles in Russia
- 2.1 What do Steller's sea eagles look like
- 2.2 Where do sea eagles live
- 2.3 What do sea eagles eat
- 2.4 Endangered birds of Russia
- 3 Dalmatian pelicans in Russia
The Largest Birds in Russia
The largest bird in Russia is the black vulture (Aegypius monachus). Females are always larger than males – their bodies are up to 112 centimeters long, and their weight can reach 12.5 kilograms. The body length of males is about 107 centimeters, and their weight reaches 11.5 kilograms.
It is believed that the name of the largest birds in Russia comes from “gryps” and goes back to the ancient Indian “garutmant”. Photo source: rusfalcon.ru
What does a black vulture look like
The black vulture is difficult to confuse with other birds. On the head and sides of these creatures grows white fluff, the plumage around the eyes is dark brown, and these dark feathers extend to the chest. Black vultures also have a long and powerful beak, as well as strong legs with sharp claws.
Black vultures usually live in pairs. Photo source: redbookrf.ru
If you see a black vulture in person, you'll be stunned by their size. They walk importantly on the ground, and if they spread their wings, their wingspan can reach 3 meters. Black vultures look majestic and command respect.
Where do black vultures live?
These birds of prey from the hawk family live in places where there are many mountains and forests. As was said at the beginning of the article, they can be found in the mountains of the Caucasus, Krasnodar Krai and Dagestan. Also, a small population of black vultures lives in the mountainous areas of Crimea.
Female and male black vultures take turns incubating eggs and are excellent parents. Photo source: rtraveler.ru
Black vultures usually live in pairs, each family builds its nests as far away from other pairs as possible. They choose old trees and steep cliffs as nesting sites. Their nests are large, reaching 1.5 meters in diameter and 60 centimeters in height. The bottom of the nest is very soft, because the vultures line it with moss and animal hair.
Scavenger birds in Russia
Black vultures feed on carrion, and are especially fond of the bodies of large animals. In search of food, they cover distances of up to 400 kilometers, but do not spend much energy on this, because they soar using currents of heated air. They can notice food from a height of about 2 kilometers, because the vulture's vision is seven times more powerful than that of a person.
Read also: These birds can fly for hours without flapping their wings
Steller's sea eagles in Russia
In addition to the black vulture, there is another contender for the title of the largest bird in Russia. This can also be called the Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus), which also belongs to the hawk family.
The Steller's sea eagle is a distant relative of the black vulture. Source: poknok.art
What do Steller's sea eagles look like
The total body length of Steller's sea eagles reaches 112 centimeters. Their body weight ranges from 6.8 to 9.5 kilograms. The maximum wingspan of Steller's sea eagles was 2.8 meters, but it is possible that there are larger individuals in nature.
Steller's sea eagle in flight. Photo source: animals.pibig.info
Where do eagles live
Steller's sea eagles most often nest in the Kamchatka Peninsula. They usually build nests in places with tall trees, or on rocky shores. Pairs of eagles can have several nests at once, so as not to always lay eggs in one place. Their nests are very durable and can last up to 15 years.
Scientists know very little about the reproduction of Steller's sea eagles. Source: permnews.ru
What do eagles eat?
Birds of prey feed on fish and also hunt small mammals like hares. Like black vultures, they do not disdain to eat carrion. In hunting, they use their keen eyesight, powerful claws on their paws, and a huge beak.
Steller's sea eagle caught a fish. Source: zoopicture.ru
Endangered birds of Russia
Unfortunately, the population of Steller's sea eagles is declining. Of course, they are very large and strong birds that will not let themselves be offended. The threat to their population has arisen due to the fact that tourists often find their nests and destroy them.
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Dalmatian pelicans in Russia
The Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is also among the largest birds in Russia. The body length of these creatures reaches 180 centimeters, and the wingspan is 3.2 meters – this is more than that of black vultures and the Steller's sea eagle. The body weight of Dalmatian pelicans is also impressive and can reach 14 kilograms.
Dalmatian Pelican in the Water. Photo source: wikimedia.org
Dalmatian pelicans in Russia nest in the Volga River delta, the Azov region, Lake Manych-Gudilo (Kalmykia) and some other places. They feed on fish and live in colonies of several individuals. This bird species is considered vulnerable, so hunting them is strictly prohibited.
Dyed pelicans can only be caught by the owners of some zoos, having received permission to do so. Photo source: wikimedia.org
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As you can already understand, there are plenty of interesting animals in Russia, and we don’t even suspect the existence of some of them. If you want to learn about another amazing bird species, read our article “Ugly Hornbills: Their Powerful Skull Can Crush a Man’s Head.”