Family Cathartidae

Family Cathartidae

Family Cathartidae
The family Cathartidae includes the new world vultures and condors. New World vultures have long, broad wings and a stiff tail, suitable for soaring. The feet are clawed but weak and not adapted to grasping. The front toes are long with small webs at their bases. No New World vulture possesses a syrinx, the vocal organ of birds. Therefore the voice is limited to infrequent grunts and hisses. All species of vultures and condors are scavengers. Their diet is overwhelmingly composed of carrion. The beak is slightly hooked and is relatively weak adapted to tear the weak flesh of partially rotted carrion. The head and
neck are featherless as an adaptation for hygiene; this lack of feathers prevents bacteria from the carrion it eats from ruining its feathers and exposes the skin to the sterilizing effects of the sun. The genus Cathartes has a highly developed sense of smell, which they use to find carrion. Other species, such as the American black vulture and the king vulture, have weak senses of smell and find food only by sight, sometimes by following Cathartes vultures and other scavengers. There are four genera and six species of the Family Cathartidae known to occur in Peru. Photo: Black Vultures and King Vulture by Raul Vega.
Family CATHARTIDAE
New World Vultures Gallinazos, Condores
Turkey Vulture Gallinazo de Cabeza Roja Cathartes aura
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture Gallinazo de Cabeza Amarilla Menor Cathartes burrovianus
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture Gallinazo de Cabeza Amarilla Mayor Cathartes melambrotus
Black Vulture Gallinazo de Cabeza Negra Coragyps atratus
King Vulture Gallinazo Rey Sarcoramphus papa
Andean Condor Cóndor Andino Vultur gryphus
peru aves - birdsTHRESKIORNITHIDAE: Ibises & Spoonbills – Ibis & Pico Espatula  PANDIONIDAE: Osprey – Aguila Pescadoraperu aves

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