Himalayan Griffin

(Gyps himalayensis), a predatory bird of the family Accipitridae. It measures 1.2-1.4 m long and weighs 8-10 kg, with a wingspread of up to 3 m. The Himalayan griffin is distributed in Central Asia and the Himalayas; in the USSR it is found in the Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alai. It stays at elevations of 2,000-5,000 m. It nests in pairs or, more rarely, in small groups on cliffs and lays one egg. The Himalayan griffin feeds on the carcasses of wild and domestic animals.