Scavengers have a bad reputation, but when it comes to life in the animal kingdom, those who pick up leftovers have to be cunning and creative to survive. Take this little crow, who finagled its way into a cow carcass found lying in the sun. On their own, crows don't pack enough punch to break tough cow hide, so this clever bird waited for a red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) to do the job. Of course, relying on others for access to your meal also means sharing it, but that's nothing a bit of tail-feather pulling cant fix!

Like some other vulture species, red-headed vultures are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, and have suffered an extreme decline in the past decade. In some places, like their  former stronghold Pakistan, these beautiful birds have declined by over 90 percent, reduced to some 200-400 individuals. The biggest threat to their survival is diclofenac, a drug used to treat sick livestock, which has proven highly toxic to vultures. Despite being widely banned in Asia, the drug is still being illegally used by some farmers.

The stunning birds boast a wingspan of over two metres (6ft), and unlike most vulture species, are usually found alone or in a breeding pair. You might not expect it, but red-headed vultures are actually doting parents: each season, both the male and female will share incubation duty for their single egg for 45 days!

Top header image: BBC/screeengrab from YouTube