Vulture

Vultures were a common species of bird.

Description
Vultures were large birds with filthy feathers. Their main distinguishing feature was their featherless pink head.

Behaviour
Vultures were considered to be cowardly animals.

Combat
Vultures were scavengers, attacking prey only once it has died or collapsed from exhaustion. Vultures only attacked moving prey if in a group, and only if the prey was already near collapsing.

Habitat
Vultures were usually encountered in warm areas, floating on updrafts over open spaces.

Biology
Vultures were carrion eaters and have developed the ability to consume infected, poisoned or rotting meat safely. They lived in flocks. A female vulture could lay up to four eggs at a time. The eggs were incubated over two months until they hatched. A young vulture could fly at four months of age.

Relationships
Vultures were a symbol and favoured animal of Thasmudyan, the god of undeath in the Zakharan pantheon. Evil swanmays sometimes shapechanged into the form of a vulture.

Uses
The bones and feathers of a vulture were used as material components in the casting of some spells.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds • The Rise of Tiamat • Tomb of Annihilation
 * Comics
 * The Grand Tour
 * Novels
 * Sword Play
 * Magazines
 * Dungeon #87: "The Raiders of Galath's Roost"
 * Video Games
 * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance • Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms