Cathartidae

The New World (or cathartid) vultures are found from southern Canada to Tierra del Fuego. They look similar to their counterparts in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Like Old World vultures, they are scavengers, with mostly featherless heads, broad wings, and excellent vision. The family includes the spectacular condors and King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa).

Additional information

All have a powerful, hooked bill for tearing flesh, a large crop so that they can gorge themselves, strong legs and chest muscles to hold down carcasses, and long, broad wings for soaring flight. The birds can run or walk, but their feet are weak and the talons not well developed. The head is more or less naked: this feature may be an adaptation to help them stay clean while scavenging, and may also be important for temperature regulation and display.

New World vultures spend considerable time on the wing, in search of food. Their gliding flight is assisted by wind or thermal updrafts; they may be grounded in windless conditions that require laborious flapping. They find food by scent or sight. Feeding behavior varies from solitary to highly gregarious, and species may feed in mixed flocks. Vultures roost either alone or communally. In hot climates, the birds defecate on their legs, so that moisture evaporating from the feces will cool them down. Sunning with outstretched wings is also important in temperate regulation.

The vultures are solitary and monogamous, and first breed at three to eight years (depending on size). Breeding in northern populations is strongly seasonal. Smaller species breed annually, but condors raise only one brood every other year due to extended care of their young. No species built a nest: instead, a single egg or two-egg clutch is laid on the ground, on a ledge, or in a cave or cavity. The adults do little to defend the nest, but the foul smell of the young and nest site may deter predators, and young of some species will also regurgitate food at intruders.

Taxonomy

Placement within the Accipitriformes is debated: morphological, genetic, and behavioral evidence has been put forward to suggest a closer relationship to stork (family Ciconiidae). The Cathartidae may perhaps be treated as a separated order allied to the Accipitriformes.

There are 7 species, divided over 5 genera.

• Cathartes aura (Turkey Vulture)
• C. burrovianus (Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture)
• C. melambrotus (Greater Yellow-headed Vulture)
• Coragyps atratus (American Black Vulture)
• Sarcoramphus papa (King Vulture)
• Gymnogyps californianus (Californian Condor)
• Vultur gryphus (Andean Condor)