NEW YORK, May 2 — Vultures are famous scavengers - feeding off the carcasses of other animals.

Vultures play important roles as scavengers in the ecosystem. — AFP pic

They're vital to the ecosystem and human health, helping stem the spread of disease by eating dead animals that would otherwise rot.

Naturalists believe their eyesight evolved to help them scan the ground for carrion, while avoiding the sun's rays hitting the retina.

But this has led to a troubling phenomenon: vultures are prone to hitting objects like pylons and wind turbines.

But one species - the white-headed vulture seen here - doesn't seem as liable to collision.

Along with field observations, researchers examined the binocularity of vulture species.

Essentially, they gave them an eye test

Research published in IBIS, the journal of avian science, found that white-headed vultures are more hunter than scavenger.

Understanding how birds see the world could help inform future sites for structures like wind farms.

While the white-headed vulture stand a better chance of avoiding collisions, deliberate poisoning is threatening it and many other vulture species in Africa.

It's classed as critically endangered, with a very high risk of extinction. — Reuters