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New World vultures | Cathartiformes
Nieuwewereldgieren | Buitres del Nuevo Mundo
The order of the New World vultures contains one family with seven species, from the Turkey Vulture to the two condors, all found only in North, Central and South America. They closely resemble the vultures of Africa and Eurasia, but that resemblance results from the same way of life rather than from close relationship: both groups are scavengers with a bare head, broad wings and a soaring flight on thermals that lets them cover great distances with little effort. New World vultures differ in their perforate nostrils without a dividing wall, relatively weak feet with blunt claws unsuited to grasping prey, and an almost absent vocal organ, so that they can only hiss and grunt. They build no nest but lay their eggs on the ground, in a hollow or in a cave. In the family tree they stand next to the hawks and eagles. In the region two species occur, the Turkey Vulture and the Black Vulture.
Families in this order
- New World vultures | Cathartidae2 speciesNew World vultures are large, mainly black or dark brown scavengers with a bare, wrinkled head and neck, a rather weak, hooked bill and long, broad wings. Two species occur in the region. The adult Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) has a mostly red head and, seen from below, a silvery-grey rear half to the wing; it lives in the Greater Antilles, on part of the Bahamas and on Trinidad. It soars low, with the wings held in a shallow V and rocking slightly, and finds carrion mainly by smell, an ability that is uncommon among birds. The Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) has a grey head, a short tail and white patches near the wingtips; it flies with quick, shallow beats alternating with glides and is common on Trinidad around villages, markets and rubbish dumps. It searches for carrion mainly by sight and often follows Turkey Vultures. Both species roost in groups and lay one or two eggs without a nest in a sheltered spot.