History Found in Bearded Vulture Nests

Bearded vulture

Investigation of human history includes many disciplines. Of these, ethnobiology -- the study of dynamic relationships among peoples, biota, and their environments -- has revealed many surprises. A recent example comes from southern Spain where scientists examined the nests of long extinct (for an estimated 70-130 years) bearded vultures.

Diana and I were lucky to spot one soaring in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa in 2007. That isolated and critically endangered population of bearded vulture, known also as the lammergeier, numbers only about 400 individuals. The stronghold of the remaining bearded vultures spans Iran east into central Asia. While the birds have disappeared from their former range across mountainous areas of Europe (although recent reintroductions  in the Alps and elsewhere show signs of success), scientists discovered that their nests preserve a record of their past, including interactions with humans.

The vultures use the same nests for generations -- even centuries -- adding to and building them higher each year. And because they nest in dry, protected, cliff caves, nest contents remain well-preserved from degradation by the environment. Researchers who examined 12 vulture nests in Andalusia of southern Spain discovered a treasure trove of information not only about the bearded vultures' diet -- which uniquely consists almost entirely of bones from mammals -- but also about their interaction with humans. More than 200 human artifacts -- including bits of human clothing, tools, and weapons -- were among the animal remains and eggshell fragments discovered in those nests. Using radiocarbon dating, the objects were estimated to be 150 to 675 years old, including a 650-year-old sandal!

Read more details of the study in this Smithsonian magazine article. Also, the Vulture Conservation Foundation provides more information on this unique raptor's biology and ongoing conservation efforts.