Egyptian Vulture

The Egyptian Vulture is the smallest of the four species of vultures and is widely distributed from southern Europe and Asia as well as northern Africa to India. The Egyptian Vulture is a globally endangered species owing to a recent and extremely rapid population decline in India (presumably resulting from poisoning by the veterinary drug diclofenac). Poachers that kill the birds or steal their eggs also play a crucial role for their decline. The Egyptian Vulture is praised for its intelligence. Worldwide it is one of the few birds known to use tools; in Africa it has the habit of picking up stones and using them to break open abandoned ostrich eggs.