What is the dominant color in the desert exhibit? The animals have camouflage colors that match the shades of the desert floor.

The large birds in the exhibit belong to the Accipitriformes order and are characterized by a sharply hooked beak and claws, which are suited for hunting. Most carnivorous birds hunt their prey using their claws, which are like nails with strong, hooked edges. In contrast, the eagle and the Egyptian vulture in the display do not hunt, and they feed off carrion, or dead animals. Notice the difference between the eagle’s head and the vulture’s head: the vulture’s head and neck are bald of feathers, so that it can put its head into the insides of the carcass with greater ease.

Many people confuse the eagle and the vulture. An example of such a mistake appears in the Israeli song, Fly, Little Bird, by Arik Einstein: “Don’t forget / There’s a vulture in the sky / Be cautious.” The vulture, due to its large size, is perceived as a dangerous bird to humans and animals, but in fact, the eagle is the one that is dangerous to animals. The vulture is not dangerous at all because it only eats carrion and it does not attack animals. As an eater of carrion, it plays an important role in the food chain. It is considered one of the important consumers of carrion in nature, and contributes to cleaning the environment in this way. Unfortunately, this diet also puts vultures in Israel in danger: many of them as a result of consumption of poisoned carcasses.

On the left, standing on the stone, is the short-toed snake eagle, which is also referred to as the snake eagle, because it primarily feeds on snakes. The snake eagle’s Hebrew name comes from the Aramaic word for snake.

The large vulture on the right side of the exhibit once lived in the petting zoo of the school in Kfar Yehoshua, and if you’d like to hear his life story - search the menu for “The incredible and terrible story of the vulture.” It’s worth a listen.