This is an unmistakable bird as an adult. At 1.3–1.7 kg (2.9–3.7 lb), 60 cm (24 in) long and 150 cm (59 in) across the wings, this is the smallest Old World vulture.[3][4] Its plumage is all white except for black areas in its wings. It has a red patch around the eye. The immature, which takes 3–4 years to mature, is brown with a yellow eye patch. In flight, this species resembles an eagle more than a typical vulture, and it can sustain flapping flight, so it does not depend on thermals.