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King Vulture
Sarcoramphus papa
Migration Flyway
Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species
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About the King Vulture
The king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. It is the only surviving member of the genus Sarcoramphus, although fossil members are known. Large and predominantly white, the king vulture has gray to black ruff, flight, and tail feathers. The head and neck are bald, with the skin color varying, including yellow, orange, blue, purple, and red. The king vulture has a noticeable orange fleshy caruncle on its beak. This vulture is a scavenger and it often makes the initial cut into a fresh carcass. It also displaces smaller New World vulture species from a carcass.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Sarcoramphus papa
- Family
- New World Vultures
- Order
- Cathartiformes
Similar species
Other members of the new world vultures family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
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