Vulture hitching a ride on a paraglider - GIF

[Altair]

Vulture hitching a ride on a paraglider.




Previously:

Salute cannon obliterates bird - GIF
Bird strike shatters windscreen - GIF
Airplane bird strike testing cannon - GIF
Bird scaring cannon - GIF
bird strike through windshield of Cessna 210

[piper184]

Must be a pet bird. Notice the tie down on the right foot.

Cool video though.

[hemmjo]

Very cool... I wonder if the pilot uses his pet bird to find thermals so he can stay aloft for longer?

[Toolmaker51]

Tame or not, wow.

[hemmjo]

Tame or not, wow.

Totally agree. I am not sure which would be most impressive. The fact that a "wild" bird landed on his glider in flight, OR the pilot having the skills and patience to train one to do it!

But I do see the device on the birds right foot.

[Toolmaker51]

There are all kinds of practitioners of falconry, so one part not too far fetched.
Yet, as many soaring birds, remain wild, but have been tagged . . ., still doesn't sort out which is the case.
I'd wager the former to be the case. Can't picture many wild creatures being so accepting of being petted. With the glider a single seater, likely he was talking the [his] vulture in.

[Hoosiersmoker]

Pet bird for sure. Would likely not have come near him otherwise. And if one did, it might have taken a finger for touching him (her?)

[Toolmaker51]

Pet bird for sure. Would likely not have come near him otherwise. And if one did, it might have taken a finger for touching him (her?)

I may have posted before; Orange County CA. There was a wild animal park, with creatures native to African plains. Dating a Brazilian exchange student, drove there in my El Camino. Idling along, a pair of rhinoceros started to cross paved road way, I stopped 15-20 feet away. You weren't supposed to honk, rev engine, holler to disturb them, or drive off on shoulder. Waiting, waiting, waiting.... finally a 'warden' drives up in their zebra striped Jeep, as he popped them in the butt with a BB rifle (lol, today we'll joke it identified .416 Rigby), the El Camino reacts to something big hitting or landing in it.
Side mirrors? Nothing. Rear view? A lioness is looking right back, nose on the glass... the girl faints.
Jeep pulled up immediately, honking.
Lioness departs. Girl awakes. Tour continues without further episodes.
We park outside the visitor center to eat; coming out there's a vulture on the cab.
Teased her a bit, 'yes, those cost extra.'

[Hoosiersmoker]

I may have posted before; Orange County CA. There was a wild animal park, with creatures native to African plains. Dating a Brazilian exchange student, drove there in my El Camino. Idling along, a pair of rhinoceros started to cross paved road way, I stopped 15-20 feet away. You weren't supposed to honk, rev engine, holler to disturb them, or drive off on shoulder. Waiting, waiting, waiting.... finally a 'warden' drives up in their zebra striped Jeep, as he popped them in the butt with a BB rifle (lol, today we'll joke it identified .416 Rigby), the El Camino reacts to something big hitting or landing in it.
Side mirrors? Nothing. Rear view? A lioness is looking right back, nose on the glass... the girl faints.
Jeep pulled up immediately, honking.
Lioness departs. Girl awakes. Tour continues without further episodes.
We park outside the visitor center to eat; coming out there's a vulture on the cab.
Teased her a bit, 'yes, those cost extra.'

Did she scratch the 'Camino's bed? (the lioness, not the girl)

[Toolmaker51]

Not particularly, occasionally hauled stuff in it, wood and metal, but not just thrown in. The rough terrain and being monitored by veterinarian crew figure in.
Do lion claws retract like domestic cats?
Google supplies contradicting answers, between 'retractable' and 'protractable'. So they can, but the tendons etc aren't equivalent.
https://www.google.com/search?client...estic+cats%3F+