This week's featured bird is a feathered garbage disposal, and the Rüppell's vulture does a fine job of helping keep the African savannah clean. Highly social, these birds can feed in flocks of hundreds if there is enough food, and if there isn't, they can be aggressive and domineering at a carcass. Of course, the more birds there are, the faster these birds need to eat to get their share. A group of these vultures can strip a large carcass in just a few minutes, gorging themselves so heavily they can barely fly.

Would you like the Rüppell's vulture on your life list? Share your bird species wish list in the comments!

Rüppell's Vulture
Photo © John5199