It's the leading cause of death for many birds of prey in Europe too. Partly because hunters leave killed animals or their guts lying around, where the birds find them. It's not just vultures who eat already dead prey, many species do if it's available, like eagles. But even birds who only eat freshly killed prey (like falcons) are dying at alarming rates. Why? Because their prey often has lead embedded in their bodies. It's not just that they eat lead because they mistake the pellets for food. One in three living ducks and geese in Europe has been shot before and has lead permanently embedded inside their body. Hunters will shoot at a swarm, kill one animal and hurt many more.