Egyptian vulture near Lake Lgarya, southeastern corner of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a small Old World vulture, the only member of the genus Neophron. Egyptian Vultures are scavengers, mainly feeding off carrion, but they also prey on small mammals and eggs. The adult Egyptian Vulture usually measures 85 cm from the point of the beak to the extremity of the tail and 1.7m between the tips of the wings. It weighs about 2.1 kilograms. The adult's plumage is black and white. Its facial skin is yellow (it turns orange during nesting periods) and devoid of feathers. The tail is wedged and diamond shaped, so it is easily distinguished in flight. The nestlings are dark brown and gradually go light until they reach adulthood at the age of 5. Egyptian Vultures are quite widely distributed and can be found in India, south west Asia, the Iberian Peninsula, and central and north Africa. They are partial migrants, depending on the local climate. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Broadcasting Company and traveled to Africa from June 1966 to early August 1966.