‘Male’ vulture who laid an egg

A VULTURE named Harold has stunned wildlife sanctuary staff – by laying an egg.

After believing for 20 years that the bird was male, staff at Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation in Kent, were left ‘flabbergasted’ after finding that the griffon vulture had laid an egg in her enclosure.

A spokesman at the centre, in Eynsford, said that when the bird arrived, the paperwork said she was male. As it is notoriously difficult to sex a bird, staff ‘took the word of the seller’. No chick will be born from the egg, as it is not fertile because there was no male involved. However, the hunt is now on to find a mate for the bird.

But while it is all change for Harold, one thing may yet remain the same. The spokesman said: ‘It will always be a habit to call her Harold, so it may just stay as her name!’