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The world's 23 vulture species, including turkey vultures, black vultures and California condors (which are endangered) here in the U.S., have sharp vision to help them spot carrion from high above.
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion.There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). [2] Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and South America and consist of seven identified species, all belonging to the Cathartidae family.
Vultures are misunderstood birds that have gotten an unfair reputation. What It Means When You See A Vulture: 4 Things You Probably Didn't Know Skip to main content
The black vulture locates food either by sight or by following New World vultures of the genus Cathartes to carcasses. [54] These vultures—the turkey vulture, the lesser yellow-headed vulture, and the greater yellow-headed vulture—forage by detecting the scent of ethyl mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay in dead animals. [55]
They can eat anything, including fur and bones, experts say.
A simulation model demonstrated that if only 1% of carcasses were contaminated by diclofenac, Indian vulture populations would fall by between 60% and 90% annually, and a study of carcasses showed that about 10% were contaminated. [25] A genus of vultures called Gyps was the most affected by diclofenac. [26]
Vultures, despite their somewhat bad rep as being harbingers of death, play a big role in ecosystems as nature's clean-up crew. They help control disease by scavenging and consuming the carcasses ...
The turkey vulture arrives first at the carcass, or with greater yellow-headed vultures or lesser yellow-headed vultures, which also share the ability to smell carrion. [6] It displaces the yellow-headed vultures from carcasses due to its larger size, [ 76 ] but is displaced in turn by the king vulture and both types of condor, which make the ...