Cat Taras

A photo of an Egyptian vulture staring curiously towards the camera

Last chance to submit photos of wild or captive Bearded, Cinerous, Egyptian, Griffon, or Himalayan vultures for the #CentralAsianVultures calendar competition!
forms.gle/afFtzhcDZStc...
🪶 #birds #birdphotography #vultures #wildlifeconservation

Toothed toad found in Vietnam’s ‘froggy hotspot’ described in science for first time | The Zoological Society of London ZSL herpetologists make surprising discovery in a hotspot for rare amphibian species

This is a very nice toad.

www.zsl.org/news-and-eve...

The Geckomancer’s Lament - Uncanny Magazine We crackle and crunch through the forest, tracking gore through the red and silver leaves of this wretched forest so far from home: the centaur, the nyanga, Oberon, and me. And Tchakalaktsa, of course...

I enjoyed this: www.uncannymagazine.com/article/the-...
(I have about a million tabs open, some of them are short stories I decided I should read at some point, and I'm currently trapped under a cat).

It’s official! We decided to have a small convention next 8-9 May.

We have the terrific @annasmithspark.bsky.social and Adrian Tchaikovsky as our guests of honor. You can find out more on our website norncon.org

We’d love it if you could join us! And if you’re at Octocon today say hi to Tommy!

Identifying suitable nesting habitat and factors affecting breeding success of critically endangered white-rumped vulture Gyps bengalensis in Nepal Ornithology Research - Identifying suitable habitats and the factors influencing breeding success for critically endangered white-rumped vulture (WRV) Gyps bengalensis plays an important role in...

Identifying suitable nesting habitat and factors affecting breeding success of critically endangered white-rumped vulture Gyps bengalensis in Nepal | doi.org/10.1007/s433... | Ornithology Research | #ornithology 🪶

2025 Calendar Photo Competition We are extending our deadline! Wednesday 15 October 2025 Central Asian Vultures Project

2026 Calendar Photo Competition You now have until midday BST on the 15th October to submit your best shots of Central Asian vultures!

2026 Calendar Photo Competition We will then have a vote to see who will be selected for the front cover. Winners receive a free calendar and full credit for their shots. Apply below! https://forms.gle/afFtzhcDZStc2K8R7

The Central Asian Vultures project is running a #photography competition for our 2026 calendar to raise funds for exciting #conservationscience! 🪶
All the details can be found here: forms.gle/afFtzhcDZStc...

#Birds #BirdPhotography #vultures

Fat Bear Week is here early, and the bears are fat and playful The famous bears of Alaska's Katmai National Park are enjoying an abundance of salmon, and even some playtime, as they pack on pounds to prepare for the winter.

FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS

IT’S FAT BEAR WEEK

Top left: vulture nest in a cliff face; middle left: vulture nest viewed through a telescope; lower: the nestling vulture in the nest getting close to fledging; top right: an adult and a fledgling Egyptian vulture

#InternationalVultureAwarenessDay! Thinking of all this year’s fledglings & the threats they’re going to face; mostly anthropogenic. Vultures just go about their lives keeping the natural world clean while humans set it on fire. Tough, but it’s important to hold on to hope & conservation successes.

Hooded Vulture head and neck against a dark background; Critically Endangered species found across Africa. © Barend van Germeden

🎉 Celebrate International Vulture Awareness Day with Bird Conservation International! 🎉

🍖 The world's most efficient scavengers are disappearing from their vital role.

🔎Discover our curated collection of studies here: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

#vultureday #vultureawarnessday #vultures

🦅 On International Vulture Awareness Day, we recognize the essential role vultures play in sustaining healthy ecosystems and highlight @wwf.eu’s ongoing efforts to protect them.

🔗 Learn more about WWF’s conservation efforts in our guide: securesustain.org/abstract/world-wildlife-fund

Soar with us to Spain this International Vulture Awareness Day for an update on Egyptian vulture conservation!

Read about a project from coordinator Alfonso Godino: www.hawkmountain.org/blog/in-the-field/wings-over-the-mediterranean-international-collaboration-to-save-egyptian-vultures-takes-flight

White backed vulture flying

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day. This group of birds has a bit of an unfair reputation and is even regarded in Africa as one as the ‘Ugly 5.’ Lots of wildlife species contribute to the ecosystem in different ways. #vultures #birds #wildlife

Three vultures stand in a row on the ground as if waiting for something. The two to the left have black bodies with prominent white collars (White-rumped Vulture – Gyps bengalensis) and the one the right is coloured light brown (Indian Vulture - Gyps indicus). The vultures are labelled to highlight some adaptations for their lifestyle: Huge wingspans for low effort flight, scouting large areas for carrion. Excellent eyesight for spotting carrion. Bald heads so food doesn’t get stuck when they’re eating. Long, hooked beaks for tearing at meat. Strong stomachs for eating rotting meat.

Happy #InternationalVultureAwarenessDay

Vultures are natures all-important clean-up crew, but in South Asia have hugely declined

Find out how Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction (SAVE) partners are working to fix this 🌏 🪶

RSPB Species Spotlight: tinyurl.com/6mxxucf7

A Slender-billed Vulture is soaring high against a backdrop of a bright blue sky with some fluffy white clouds. Its wings are fully extended, showcasing its long, narrow wings and a distinctive slender body and neck. The light shines through the feathers, highlighting the subtle colour variations from brown to tan. The bird's narrow bill and streamlined shape make it well-adapted for efficient soaring.

Two White-rumped Vultures are perched on a leafless, twisted branch against a clear blue sky. These vultures have dark brown plumage with prominent pale heads and necks, and a distinct white patch on their rumps, visible even from a distance. They are perched close together, gazing intently in different directions. The texture of their feathers can be seen distinctly, emphasising the bird's large stature.

Epic soaring skills, stomachs that neutralise deadly bacteria, and a vital role in stopping disease…

We reckon vultures might just be the most underrated birds out there. 👀 🦅

This #InternationalVultureAwarenessDay, discover why we owe them so much: brnw.ch/21wVwo3

To celebrate #InternationalVultureAwarenessDay & begin a 🧵on #BirdsSeenIn2025 in Zimbabwe, around Victoria Falls, the phenomenal Vulture Restaurant at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge which does so much to raise awareness of horrific plight of African Vultures such as these White-backed & Hooded. 1/25

Anyway, vultures matter, take care of them. Be aware of their importance and the threats they face.

... and of how cute they are.

... I have more, but that's probably enough commitment to wordplay.

...Germany....

... Spain, Peru, Austria, Greece....

Me being aware of vultures in the UK, Corsica, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan....

Happy #internationalvultureawarenessday!

I have been very aware of vultures, internationally.

Here is a random thread of that!

Turkey Vulture perched atop a snag. A red, wrinkly face, fluffy black feathers around the "collar" and otherwise having fluffy dark brown feathers. The subject is 3/4 facing the camera, with head turned to look at the viewer.

Happy International Vulture Awareness Day! Vultures make our world safer for humans & other animals by dining on carrion & removing their pathogens from the environment. 🪶

🌍 Across Africa, BirdLife and its partners are committed to protecting vultures. This #IVAD, we're sharing action & impact insights. From new anti-poisoning strategies to groundbreaking research on vulture ecosystem value. Conserving vultures=safeguarding resilient ecosystems
#SaveAfricaVultures

Large black and white birds with red heads soaring above rock cliff.

Endangered California Condors soaring above Pinnacles National Park for #VultureAwarenessDay. Such magnificent creatures! 💚

Learn about them here...
www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/n...

#Birds #NationalParks #iNat #NaturePhotos 📷🪶

Black vulture with characteristic V-shaped wings soaring against a dark blue sky. Its head is red and featherless, and its beak is gray.

Turkey vulture flying low over my house in California for #VultureAwarenessDay
#bird #photography #IVAD2025
#InternationalVultureAwarenessDay

From oops to awesome! Turkey Vulture shows off remarkable wingspan when branch snaps. Happy International Vulture Awareness Day! 🖤 #birds #birdwatching #naturephotography #WildlifePhotography #nature #wildlife #birdphotography #vulture

Male Andean condor at rest with flowers.

California condor masking with a carcass.

Cape griffon vulture vulture at scream.

Cinereous vulture portrait.

Happy Vulture Day Eve everyone!

🦅 Today is International Vulture Day!
Vultures may not always get the spotlight, but they are vital to healthy ecosystems. Today, we celebrate Africa’s incredible vulture diversity. Let’s give vultures the recognition they deserve. 🌍
@vultureday
#VultureDay #AfricanOrnithology #BeardedVulture

🦅 Bird of the Month: BEARDED VULTURE
Ahead of International Vulture Day, we’re spotlighting one of the world’s most remarkable scavengers.
@vultureday
projectvulture.org.za
#AfricanOrnithology #BeardedVulture #VultureDay #BeardedVultureRecoveryProgramme #ProjectVulture

EARLY VIEW in IBIS

Using high-resolution remote sensing to quantify nest-site characteristics of White-backed Vultures (Gyps africanus) in Karingani Game Reserve, Mozambique | onlinelibrary.wiley....

Tom C. Lautenbach, Frans G. T. Radloff, Andrew B. Davies | #ornithology #RaptorResearch 🪶