Black Vulture

Coragyps atratusOrder: CICONIIFORMESFamily: Vultures (Cathartidae)
Black Vulture Portrait
  Splitbar
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Overview

Black Vulture: Large raptor, black overall, short, featherless neck, pale bill, short and squared tail, long, pale gray legs and feet. Gray-black skin on head and neck is wrinkled. White-tipped wings, held horizontal in flight. Soars on thermals, must flap its wings more often than a Turkey Vulture.

Range and Habitat

Black Vulture: Resident in southeastern U.S. and Texas, south to the tropics; preferred habitats include open country, but breeds in woodlands and thickets.

Splitbar

Listen:

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Voice Text

Generally silent

Splitbar

Related Birds:

Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Osprey
Crested Caracara
Turkey Vulture
California Condor
Common Black-Hawk
Zone-tailed Hawk
.

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Family Vulture (Cathartidae)_blue
Species Coragyps atratus
Length23 - 27 Inches
Wingspan57 Inches

Black Vulture

Black Vulture: Large raptor, black overall, short, featherless neck, pale bill, short and squared tail, long, pale gray legs and feet. Gray-black skin on head and neck is wrinkled. White-tipped wings, held horizontal in flight. Soars on thermals, must flap its wings more often than a Turkey Vulture.

● Song: Generally silent

● Foraging & Feeding: Black Vulture: Diet consists primarily of carrion. Sometimes attacks and kills prey.

● Breeding & nesting: Black Vulture: Two blue to gray-green eggs marked with brown and lavender are laid in a cave, hollow log, stump, tree trunk, or abandoned building, with no nest materials added. Incubation ranges from 37 to 48 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Black Vulture: Turkey Vulture has bare red head, long rectangular tail, and 2-toned wings from below (black in front with silver-gray trailing edge), and hold wings in shallow "V” when soaring.

Flight Pattern

Soars on thermals., Several quick deep wing beats followed by a glide.
Black Vulture Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Black Vulture: Resident in southeastern U.S. and Texas, south to the tropics; preferred habitats include open country, but breeds in woodlands and thickets.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
PopulationFairly common to common
MigrationSome migrate
Weight76.8 Ounces