| Description |
a large brownish black bird with a long tail and bare head and neck; often has a green or blue iridescence on the chest, shoulders, and back, which appears to turn purple on the wings and tail; wing linings and lower part of the tail are gray; head and neck lack feathers and sports wrinkled, red skin; eyes are a pale grayish-brown; beak is also pale |
| Sex |
both sexes similar in size and color; female may be somewhat larger than male |
| Age |
average in the wild 5 years; in captivity up to 20 years |
| Length |
24-28" |
| Wingspan |
64-72" |
| Weight |
3.5-5 lbs. |
| Habitat |
varied; ranges from open plains to deserts, forests and jungles |
| Status |
|
| Range |
throughout the United States and southern Canada during warmer months; migrate to South America during winter months, often as far as Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands |
| Behavior |
the large wingspan allows them to soar on thermals for long periods, covering great distances; small groups have been observed performing ritualistic "dances" near breeding season; actual nest not built; will sometimes create a soft layer under the eggs with rotten wood or leaves; two eggs laid on the ground, in a cave, hollow log, or stump; both birds share all nesting duties; incubation is 38-41 days; chicks fed regurgitated food; young fledge at 70-80 days; |
| Diet |
almost exclusively carrion; may sometimes eat eggs, rotting fruits and vegetables, or even excrement of sea lions; one of the few birds with a sense of smell, and can detect carrion even under the canopy of forests |
| Vocalization |
low grunts and hisses, audible only at close range |
| Other Information |
- If threatened vultures will vomit on potential predators
- A vulture's digestive juices are strong enough to kill any type of bacteria known to man
- Their "sunning" behavior, sitting on the ground with wings extended allows a photochemical change in the oil on the feathers that provides them with Vitamin D |
