GIER EAGLE (‘gier’ is the same as the German Geier , ‘vulture,’ ‘hawk,’) is tr. [Note: translate or translation.] in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] of râchâm in Leviticus 11:16 and Deuteronomy 14:17 , in both of which passages RV [Note: Revised Version.] has ‘ vulture .’ RV [Note: Revised Version.] gives ‘gier eagle’ also as tr. [Note: translate or translation.] of peres in Deuteronomy 14:12 , where AV [Note: Authorized Version.] has ‘ossifrage’ (lit. ‘bone-breaker’). The peres is the bearded vulture or Lämmergeier , ‘the largest and most magnificent of the vulture tribe.’ The adult râchâm has the front of the head and the upper part of the throat and cere naked, and of a bright lemon-yellow. The plumage is of a dirty white, except the quill feathers, which are of a greyish black. Its appearance when soaring is very striking and beautiful. It is the universal scavenger of Egyptian cities. It is found in great abundance also in Palestine and Syria.