Zoology of the ZooPl. CXXXVII
Black vulture
Coragyps atratus
Aves · Cathartiformes · Cathartidae
Fig. 1. Black vulture
Fig. 2. Range
| Length or height | About 56-74 cm long; wingspan about 1.4-1.5 m |
|---|---|
| Weight | About 1.6-2.75 kg |
| Food | Carrion; sometimes newborn livestock |
| Lifespan | About 20 years or more in the wild (est.) |
| Society | Large communal roosts; family groups |
| Habitat | grassland, wetland, urban |
| Range | North America, South America |
| Wild or tame | Wild |
Finds food mostly by sight and by following turkey vultures, whose sense of smell is far stronger. Florida hosts big winter roosts. Strong stomach acid kills most germs in rotting meat, so vultures clean up disease.
Observe: Watch the white wingtip patches and the short, flappy flight: black vultures flap more than turkey vultures.