Which vulture species drops bones from great heights to break them and access marrow?

The bearded vulture is the species that drops bones from great heights to expose their marrow. It carries bones into the air, releases them over rocky “bone-breaking” sites, then glides down to inspect the fragments. If a bone remains too large, the bird may repeat the process.

This unusual feeding strategy is reflected in the bird’s former name, ossifrage, meaning “bone breaker.” Unlike most vultures, which primarily strip flesh from carcasses, the bearded vulture specializes in bones and marrow. Adults may obtain roughly 70–90% of their diet from bone, including large limb bones that other scavengers leave behind.

Its digestive system is adapted to the job: very acidic stomach contents can dissolve substantial bone material, while marrow supplies energy-rich fat. Young birds must practice dropping bones and can take years to master the technique. The Egyptian vulture is another tool-using vulture, famously using stones to crack eggs, but it is not the bone-dropping species described here.