![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
birdfeedingGenerations of Bearded Vultures Stashed Humans’ Treasures, Including a 650-Year-Old Sandal, in These Bird Nests
Bearded vultures are unusual birds. Their diet consists primarily of bones, which they sometimes drop from great heights to break into smaller, bite-size pieces. They deliberately change the color of their plumage by rolling around in reddish-orange mud. And they return to the same nesting sites year after year, with generations of the species even reusing nests for centuries.
That last tendency has been a boon to archaeologists, who recently recovered more than 200 human artifacts from historical bearded vulture nests in southern Spain. One of the most remarkable finds? A 650-year-old sandal made from woven twigs and grasses, according to a study published last month in the journal Ecology.
Bearded vultures have been extinct in southern Spain for 70 to 130 years, depending on the specific region. But while the birds have disappeared from the area, their well-preserved nests can still be found there, often tucked into protected, hidden spaces in the mountains.
Note that a challenge of re-introducing such species is getting them to attach to the desired locations. With salmon smolts, you can hatch them in an aquarium and pour them into the target creeks. Vultures would likely be more difficult.
Bearded vultures are unusual birds. Their diet consists primarily of bones, which they sometimes drop from great heights to break into smaller, bite-size pieces. They deliberately change the color of their plumage by rolling around in reddish-orange mud. And they return to the same nesting sites year after year, with generations of the species even reusing nests for centuries.
That last tendency has been a boon to archaeologists, who recently recovered more than 200 human artifacts from historical bearded vulture nests in southern Spain. One of the most remarkable finds? A 650-year-old sandal made from woven twigs and grasses, according to a study published last month in the journal Ecology.
Bearded vultures have been extinct in southern Spain for 70 to 130 years, depending on the specific region. But while the birds have disappeared from the area, their well-preserved nests can still be found there, often tucked into protected, hidden spaces in the mountains.
Note that a challenge of re-introducing such species is getting them to attach to the desired locations. With salmon smolts, you can hatch them in an aquarium and pour them into the target creeks. Vultures would likely be more difficult.
