As carrion scavengers, bearded vultures contribute to rotting carcass removal and help control disease within ecosystems.
As feeders on carrion, bearded vultures dispose of rotting remains and help keep the ecosystem clear of disease.
They will wait patiently at a cliff edge until other scavengers have finished eating, and will not compete for food. As a result, they often feed on older carcasses and offal, clearing even the least desirable remains other scavengers would not eat.
Sources: (Ferguson-Lees & Christie, 2001; Tenenzapf, 2011)
Image: Cloudtail the Snow Leopard
