ClipArt ETC
A bird resting on the ground, near some bones.

Bird

A bird resting on the ground, near some bones.

Genus <em>Cathartes</em>, found in the Americas, sometimes as far north as New England.

Turkey Buzzard

Genus Cathartes, found in the Americas, sometimes as far north as New England.

European Kites are very miscellaneous feeders, but depend largely on offal, and in the eastern tropics they are valuable as scavengers. The nest is usually placed in a tree, and consists of a mass of sticks lined with rags and paper; the eggs are three to four in number. The name kite is strictly applicable to the rare European Red Kite.

European Kite

European Kites are very miscellaneous feeders, but depend largely on offal, and in the eastern tropics…

"A tower, generally built about 25 feet high, on which the Parsees expose the bodies of their dead to be stripped of flesh by vultures. These towers are usually so arranged that the denuded bones fall through a grating into a pit, whence they are removed for burial." &mdash;Whitney, 1889 <p>These towers were built by the Zoroastrians, of which the Parsees are one group. This image shows a tower with some bones and carrion surrounding it and hills in the background.

Tower of Silence Built by the Parsees

"A tower, generally built about 25 feet high, on which the Parsees expose the bodies of their dead to…

<em>N. percnopterus</em>, common to Africa, sometimes found in Southern Europe and in Asia. Males and females tend to live in pairs.

Egyptian Vulture

N. percnopterus, common to Africa, sometimes found in Southern Europe and in Asia. Males and…