{"id":36016,"date":"2023-09-10T19:59:50","date_gmt":"2023-09-10T16:59:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/?p=36016"},"modified":"2025-05-05T15:46:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T12:46:48","slug":"exploring-the-fascinating-cosmetic-behaviour-of-bearded-vultures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/4vultures.org\/pt\/blog\/exploring-the-fascinating-cosmetic-behaviour-of-bearded-vultures\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring the fascinating Cosmetic Behaviour of Bearded Vultures"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus<\/a><\/em>) is known for its innate tendency to bathe in ferruginous water springs up in the mountains, from which they get a rufous colour on their chest and face. This fascinating \u201ccosmetic behaviour\u201d has triggered the curiosity of many researchers over the last decades, and although different hypotheses have been proposed, none has yet proven conclusive. A recently published scientific study<\/a> provides new insights into this secretive behaviour and reinforces the importance of safeguarding these iron-rich puddles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"bearded<\/a>
Bearded Vultures of different age classes visiting the ferruginous spring at different times of the year with and without snow around the site \u00a9 A. Margalida et al (2023) https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani13152409<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The Cosmetic Behaviour of Bearded Vultures<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bearded Vultures often bathe in ferruginous water springs containing high levels of iron oxides to deliberately taint their whiteish chest and facial feathers to a dark orange-brown colour. It seems an innate condition<\/a>; if a bowl for mud baths is provided in captivity, 90-day-old nestlings can be seen bathing in the mud when undisturbed. These observations also signal their good health status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curiously, another study<\/a> sheds light on how the Homo neanderthalensis<\/em> e Homo sapiens<\/em>, which have also stained their bodies more than 100\u00a0000 years, could have possibly mimicked the observed behaviour from Bearded Vultures \u2013 and benefited from the multiple anti-UV anti-bacterial benefits these muds confer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why do they bathe? Hypothesis describing the cosmetic behaviour of Bearded Vultures<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Several hypotheses to describe the function of this cosmetic behaviour have been proposed, the most accepted being a means of showing individual dominance. According to the authors, in captive settings, the degree of ochre colouration is linked to the age and sex of Bearded Vultures: older individuals and females (the dominant sex) are more pigmented. In the wild, females also display more intense pigmentation, and in the case of polyandrous trios, alpha males typically manifest stronger colours than beta males.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other hypotheses were also considered based on iron oxides\u2019 potential anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic benefits and their possible feather-protection capability. However, a study has demonstrated<\/a> that the iron-rich mud could not prevent feather degradation and the inexistence of antibacterial effects in some iron particles and minerals. The most recent hypothesis focuses on the attenuating effects of these mud baths, suggesting that birds with \u201cfeather imperfections may benefit from concealing them with ochre\u201d. The hypothesis remained untested until recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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