Lappet-Faced Vulture

The lappet-faced vulture is the largest vulture in Africa and has the largest beak of any bird. It has bare crimson skin on its head and neck and an ivory or greenish/brown bill. Most of its feathers are dark brown, except for white flank feathers and dark stripes on its chest. It has a wedge-shaped tail. 

Lappet-faced vulture in Serengeti NP. Photo by Mark Edwards. 

It ranges from Senegal, in West Africa, east to Ethiopia, is found in most of East Africa, then south to Namibia and Natal. There is another subspecies that lives in the Sinai, the Negev desert and northwest Saudi Arabia. 

Lappet-faced vulture on a kill in Serengeti NP. We could not see what the vultures were feeding on and the light was bad. Photo by Mark Edwards.

Poor photo, but unmistakable red head. 

It is the strongest vulture at kills and other vultures will often wait at new kills for the lappet-faced vulture to arrive as its great strength and massive bill can open up a hide and enable all other birds to feed.