Vultures are birds that have anatomical characteristics linked to their eating habits, since they are scavenger species that provide an environmental service very important, and if the situation arises, they can hunt live prey.
They are distributed around the world, except in Oceania and Antarctica, and are classified into two groups depending on their geographical distribution. On the one hand, there are the old world vultures that belong to the order Accipitriformes, and on the other, those from the new world, included in the order Cathartiformes. Continue reading this article on our site and you will learn more about the types of vultures, their characteristics and names
Characteristics of vultures
These birds have a series of adaptations related to their lifestyle, as they are scavengers that feed on the remains of dead animals, although in their absence they can hunt live prey. Next, we will talk about the features that make this group of birds so peculiar:
- Tamaño: they stand out for being large birds with wide wingspans. There are species, such as the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), that can reach wingspans of more than three meters, with the condor being the largest representative of the vultures. Others are smaller and reach nearly 2 meters in wingspan.
- Wing Shape: The primary wing feathers are extended like “fingers” and during flight they open, allowing them to glide to high altitudes. Their wide and long wings are adapted to take advantage of thermal currents and it is common to see them gliding several kilometers high.
- Cabeza: many species have long heads and necks with no feathers, the length of which varies with the type of prey it consumes, since that a long neck can be inserted into the bodies of dead animals more easily. The lack of plumage in this area prevents them from staining themselves with blood and fluids when they feed, although it is covered by fine, short down.
- Visión: these are birds that have highly developed eyes, since in addition to other senses, they use vision to detect remains of dead animals. They are characterized by having two foveas, unlike other birds, which are areas of the retina where light rays are focused and allow color perception.
- Smell: in the case of New World vultures, they also use this sense (which is highly developed in these species) to locate their food, and they are able to smell their food from several kilometers away, even from potential prey only a few centimeters away.
- Patas: Vultures' claws are not very strong (except for some species), as they do not use them to hunt vultures. their prey nor tear their flesh. However, they can walk. In addition, these birds deposit the product of their stools (a mixture of urine and feces) on their legs, through urohidrosis, which refers to this behavior. This helps them thermoregulate (dissipate heat), since they do not have sweat glands and cannot sweat.
- Behavior: these are gregarious animals, that is, social species that come together in large colonies, often made up of hundreds of individuals. As we mentioned before, they are scavengers, so they feed on the animal carcasses that other species leave behind. In this sense, they play a very important ecological role, since in their absence diseases could spread due to the decomposed remains of dead animals. They can even eat meat in advanced stages of putrefaction that could kill other animals. Because of this, hundreds of vultures in India and other countries die every day from poisoning, since they feed on the carcasses of farm animals that were previously treated with Diclofenac (anti-inflammatory analgesic with veterinary use to treat cattle and other farm animals). In vultures, 1 microgram of this analgesic can cause the death of several individuals, causing painful deaths due to kidney failure and a disease typical of birds (visceral gout), often causing very rapid deaths, which has come to reduce populations. of vultures from places like Pakistan and India by more than 90%.
To get to know these animals a little better, you may be interested in reading this other article on our site about What resources does a vulture need to survive.
Where do vultures live?
As we will see later, vultures are divided into two groups: those of the New World and those of the Old World.
Where do New World vultures live?
This group includes species present in America, from southern Canada to South America, and they are included in the order Cathatiforms (although there are other opinions of authors that include them in other orders). They occupy a wide variety of environments and ecosystems, from desert areas, tropical forests, to mountainous areas. It is made up of seven species distributed throughout the continent, with scavenging eating habits, although some species can also feed on vegetables and actively hunt their prey. They differ from Old World vultures in that they have a more developed sense of smell.
Where do Old World vultures live?
The species found in this group are distributed in Europe, Asia and Africa, and belong to the order Accipitriformes. They inhabit diverse environments, such as forests, savannahs, mountainous areas, cliffs and crop areas. This group consists of 16 species, and all feed on the remains of dead animals. Some of them are social and seek and feed in groups of up to hundreds of individuals, and other species are more solitary and feed and rest alone or, depending on the season, in pairs. Old World vultures use their eyesight to locate animal carcasses, which is very well developed. However, some species also watch other predators (such as lions or hyenas) for carrion, and several species may congregate around a dead animal, but the largest always feed first.
You may also be interested in reading this other article on Birds of prey or birds of prey - Types, characteristics, names and examples.
Types of vultures
Old World and New World vulture species are not taxonomically related, so it can be said that their resemblance is due to an evolutionary convergenceIn addition, they occupy the same ecological niche, so they are considered within the same group and all receive the name of "vulture" (Latin word vultur=destroyer) referring to their feeding mode In addition to belonging to different orders, each one has certain characteristics that differentiate them, such as smell and vision.
Old World and New World Vultures: Differences
Old World Vultures…
- They belong to the family Accipitridae, a group of diurnal birds of prey, and are distributed on almost all continents.
- They have a head semi-calves or with very few feathers.
- They use vision to find the remains of dead animals.
New World Vultures…
- They belong to the family Cathartidae, also called condors, buzzards, or black vultures, and are found mainly in the Americas.
- They usually have a bald head.
- They have a very developed sense of smell that they use to find their food.
- They have no gap in the nostrils, so you can see through them.
- They have the back finger higher than the front three, so it has no apparent function, since they can't carry things with their legs or catch their prey.
As we mentioned, there is a great diversity of species in both groups, so here we will name some examples of each of them.
Old World Vultures
Some of the better known Old World vultures are:
Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus)
Species present in southern Europe, Africa and Asia, inhabits mountain areas and rocky cliffs. Its wingspan can reach three meters and it has a look that is quite different from that of other vultures: its head and neck have feathers, since they do not need to be inserted into the body of their prey, in addition, their wings are more elongated than the rest of the species. Its name derives from its eating habits, since feeds on bones, which it throws from the heights in order to feed on them. This species can travel several kilometers looking for food, and then return to their areas to feed.
Red-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus)
Native to India, this is one of the types of vultures that occupies forests, open areas and cultivated areas. It measures around 80 cm and has a wingspan of almost two meters. Its head is bare and reddish-orange in color, which is paler in juveniles. There is sexual dimorphism in the color of the iris: males have a pale and whitish iris, while in females it is dark brown. The populations of this species declined dangerously due to the use of Diclofenac in livestock veterinary medicine, especially in recent years, which is why it is currently classified as " Critical Danger". Another cause of the decline of this species is illegal hunting.
Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)
Another of the most common types of vulture is the griffon vulture. It is distributed in Europe, Asia and North Africa and inhabits mountainous and cliff areas. This species has a wingspan of more than 2.5 meters and is characterized by its plumage with ocher and gold tones, with fine feathers (filopfeathers) surrounding the neck. Its legs have weaker claws than those of other vultures and, added to its weight, this species never hunts its prey and feeds exclusively on carrion Like other species of vultures, this bird is an excellent glider that takes advantage of the columns of hot air to fly over the skies and, unlike other species, it does not make so many bumpy flights. Although it is not endangered, in Spain it is cataloged as “ Of special interest”.
Sooty Egyptian Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)
Native to sub-Saharan Africa, this type of vulture occupies savannah areas It is medium in size, about 65 cm long and between Wingspan 1.5 to 1.8 meters. Its plumage is brown and the front part of its neck and face, which have no plumage, are striking., while the nape and the back of the neck do have feathers. His face is usually light red. It is another species of vulture that has suffered heavy population losses due to poisoning, hunting and the destruction of its habitat. Because of this, it is currently listed as "Critical Hazard ".
Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
The black vulture is a type of vulture with a wide distribution worldwide. It can be seen in Europe, Asia, Japan and part of Africa, in natural and planted pine forests. It has a fairly high wing span, about three meters. Its plumage is brown-black with a featherless neck and head, however, on the face and part of the head they have black feathers, and behind the neck as a collar, has long brown feathers. Unlike other species, the Black Vulture only consumes the muscular part of animal remains, supplementing its diet with other animals that it actively hunts.
New World Vultures
Within the New World vultures we find:
Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)
Species present throughout the Andes Mountain Range, from Venezuela to the South of Argentina and Chile, being a natural monument in many countries. As we mentioned before, this is the largest species of vulture, reaching a wingspan of more than 3 meters and a length of almost 150 cm. In addition, it is one of the longest-lived species, reaching live more than 60 years Its head is bare and with reddish tones, in addition, the males have acrest or caruncle in the area of the face and skin folds on the neck of both sexes. Its most striking feature is the collar of white down that surrounds (although not completely) and protects the neck. Due to the loss of its habitat, it is listed as a species “Near Threatened ”. It feeds on carrion that it sees from high altitudes, although it can spend up to two days before it comes close to eating.
Jote or royal condor (Sarcoramphus papa)
This type of vulture is a species that inhabits jungles and tropical forests and savannahs in southern Mexico and northern Argentina. When it comes to feeding, due to its larger size, it can expel other species such as the black-headed jote, and first eat the remains of dead animals. It measures about 80 cm and with a wingspan of 2 meters. Its appearance is very peculiar, since it has a head and neck without feathers, but with yellow, red and orange tones, and its eyes have white irises, which makes it a very striking species. In addition, it has a wax at the base of the beak as an orange crest.
Black-headed vulture (Coragyps atratus)
Vulture of smallest size that reaches between 60 and 70 cm in length and about 165 cm in wingspan. They are distributed from North America to South America, where they inhabit forests and open areas, including urban areas. They are social and it is very common to see them in a group gliding high. They are distinguished by their black color throughout the body and their head and part of the neck without feathers. In addition to consuming carrion, they can prey on eggs of other species or smaller animals and newborns. It is also common to see them rummaging through garbage cans. It does not have a syrinx (voice organ in birds), so it only emits growls or hisses.
American Red-headed Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Another of the most peculiar types of vultures is the American red-headed vulture. It is a species distributed from Canada to southern South America, occupying a wide variety of environments such as forests, thickets, open areas, wetlands and semi-desert areas. It is a large vulture with about 80 cm in length and a wingspan of approximately 1.8 meters. Very peculiar due to its black almost brown plumage and a small head compared to the body. It has part of its neck and face without feathers and is red with purple tones It feeds exclusively on carrion, which it detects in flight thanks to its excellent sense of smell and, although it looks for its food alone, it is a very gregarious bird that forms groups of up to hundreds of individuals to spend the night.
California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus)
Distributed from Arizona to southern California, where it inhabits mountain areas with caves where it can nest. It is a large-sized species, with a wingspan of three meters and can reach 1.4 meters in length. Its head is featherless and reddish-orange in color with black plumage covering its body. Due to lead poisoning caused by consuming these from hunted animals, in addition to habitat destruction, their populations have dropped alarmingly, which is why it is in “ Critical Danger” and there are several projects that work for its conservation.
