back to article Scottish skies clear of giant vulture menace

The Ruppell's Griffon Vulture which went awol last week from a Cumbernauld bird of prey centre has been recaptured, the BBC reports. Gandalf, a seven-year-old female, soared away from World of Wings, prompting an alert that she posed "a genuine threat to airplanes". In the event, she managed to avoid a mid-air collision, and …

COMMENTS

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  1. smudge
    FAIL

    Retraction

    I wish to retract my earlier comment that its desire to flee Cumbernauld indicated that it was a very intelligent bird.

    If it was found near Falkirk then it's as bird-brained as any other avian.

    I know Falkirk all too well - the best way of improving it would be for the Grangemouth refinery to explode and wipe it off the map. Looks its best in a rear-view mirror.

    1. jonathanb Silver badge

      Re: Retraction

      Depends whether it was en-route to somewhere else like the highlands.

  2. Ugotta B. Kiddingme

    possibly a stupid question BUT...

    why would a FEMALE vulture be named Gandalf?

    1. Daniel B.
      Joke

      Even if it's a female..

      ... the name should've worked pretty well for airplanes.

      YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!!

    2. George Nacht
      Happy

      Female Gandalf...

      ...because the name "Galadriel" was already taken. By her male spouse.

  3. Anonymous John

    Why is a female vulture called Gandalf?

    (body)

  4. AGirlFromVenus

    sponsorship

    Perhaps Vulture Central should sponsor a dead chick a day (or whatever) for Gandalf?

  5. JaitcH
    WTF?

    Better to use RFID devices or clip it's wing feathers

    If they fitted RFID devices to its legs, the real long distance ones, the Garbage Plod, and others, could detect where the monster bird had flown to.

    Does clipping wing feathers work for monster birds, just like people do with domestic chickens to stop them flying away?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Why RFID?

      Just buy it an iPhone

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Gandalf recaptured with 'big duvet'

    Yep, frequently works with me too...

    Clam.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    Falkirk - Home of the Vulture

    I lived in Falkirk for the early part of my youth, more than 20 years later I am still suffering. What the hell did that vulture go looking for, dead junkies, coma induced drunks or did it just want to join the half dead that walk amongst the employment queue ?.

    As they would say in Falkirk, "Did ye see that big f**k**g bastard craw that just flew oer ma heid. That fu//**er nearly shat in ma beer, am gonna f-**king kill it, stupit f*/-ing c**t"

    By the way, anyone that thinks I have over-used the expletives has obviously never been to Falkirk .

    Tux . Because he's a kind of "low flying" Vulture........

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Joke

      Vultures & Falkirk

      Obviously Vultures are drawn to Falkirk - the stench of death or the dying would be irresistable to such scavengers.

      Once we see Hyena's we'll know to just fence the entire place off, and make it a safari attraction. In fact I'm sure I've seen some coming out the night clubs wearing dresses, come to think of it.

  8. Will Godfrey Silver badge
    Coat

    Maybe

    It ran/flew away because it was angry at being given a male name when it clearly was female.

    A new variant of "Hell hath no fury like a woman's corn".

    OK OK I'm going.

  9. K. Adams
    Pint

    Guess Dirk had enough...

    ... and turned it out of his flat.

    I'm sure Thor will be along presently to make amends.

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