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Ötztal Nature Park in Tyrol: bearded vulture days in sight

The great return of the bearded vulture.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Petr Salinger / 2019 / www.petrsalinger.cz)

Its reputation as a "child eater" and its imposing size almost became the bearded vulture's undoing. Thanks to a nature conservation program, Europe's largest bird of prey is gradually gliding along rock faces again. The "International Bearded Vulture Observation Days" will take place from October 12 to 20, 2024. Find out how you can make an active scientific contribution here.

Without a single flap of its wings, the bearded vulture lets itself be carried by the thermals. It glides majestically closer and closer to the Simmilaun hut at an altitude of 3019 meters. Its head, with its distinctive beak and black beard of feathers, is stretched rigidly downwards. Its ruby-red rimmed eyes scan the steep slopes for food, its wingspan of almost three meters draws a huge shadow on the rocks.

The fact that I, the author of this story, was able to see Europe's largest bird of prey circling around the peaks in the Ötztal Alps at close range is thanks to a nature conservation program. From 1913 onwards, bearded vultures were officially considered extinct in the Alps.

Feared as a "lammergeier" or "child-eater", the giant of the air was said to carry off and kill cattle and children. In some valleys it was once said: "If you are not good, the vulture will get you." From today's perspective, we know that the bearded vulture does not harm any living creatures. Instead, it has specialized in something special: bones! It can digest this "food" completely within 24 hours thanks to its acidic gastric juices.

In some zoos, bearded vultures are also kept with marmots, chickens and rabbits to show the public that they are not hunters - bearded vultures have never attacked any of the small animals.

Flying hygiene police of the Alps
The name "bone-breaker" (in Tyrol "Boanbrüchl") is partly justified: the skilled flier drops larger skeletons from a height of 20 to 150 meters onto stone slabs so that they break. These stone slabs and the rocky terrain are known as bone forges (or bearded vulture forges). Vultures in general have an important function in the ecosystem as scavengers. They act practically like a hygiene police force, removing the remains of dead animals and thereby reducing the spread of disease.

Eleven breeding pairs in Austria
In 1980, breeding efforts were started which finally led to success! Since 1986, young bearded vultures have been released into the wild in the European Alpine region - slowly re-establishing the species in the mountains of Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland. In 2024, there are eleven breeding pairs in Austria, seven of them in Tyrol (three successful in breeding). The population in the entire Alpine region is currently estimated at 300 to 400 animals.

On the trail of the bearded vulture in Tyrol

Any sightings can either be reported to [e-mail] or uploaded directly to a sighting form on the Ötztal Nature Park website. If possible, the report should contain the following information

• Date and time of the observation
• Duration and location of the sighting
• Flight direction of the bearded vulture
• Plumage coloration and possible wing markings
• Photos or videos to confirm the sighting

Report sightings!
From October 12 to 20, 2024, the "International Observation Days" will take place, during which the current bearded vulture population will be surveyed across borders. All nature lovers, hunters, mountaineers and hikers are invited to keep an eye out for the animals during this period and report sightings. Focus of the observation days: Saturday, October 12 (focus time: 9 am to 3 pm, at least 10 am to 2 pm).