THE BLACK VULTURE

The black or king vulture or Pondichery vulture (Torgos calvus) is a large-sized black vulture with a rather bulky body about the size of a peacock. The deep scarlet head, neck and legs easily distinguish it. It is found throughout India and Burma, but not in Sri Lanka. It is a bird of open, lightly wooded and cultivated country, generally seen singly or in pairs perched on an exposed stump of a tree, or circling high in the air. It feeds on carcasses and is often found in company with other vultures when feeding. Its flight is powerful and it can take off from the ground with a few wing strokes.