Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus) is a huge black bird of about 100 to 110 cm in length, commonly found in semi-desert areas.
The plumage is blackish or dark brown; head and neck blue-gray; eyes brown; black beak; legs pale-blue gray or whitish yellow. The neck is relatively short, and its neck ruff has dark brown feathers with black crop-patch.
The bird nests in trees, often on crags or steep slopes. It mainly feeds on carrion. Occasionally it kills small rodents, hares, birds and even tortoises.
The bird can be seen in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary in Kerala.
