From Opus

Adult Male
Photo by Dwaalgast
Location: Cruz del Condor, Colca Canyon, Peru, September 2006

Vultur gryphus

[edit] Identification

Adult length of 102-127cm (40-50")
Unmistakable - the world's largest flying bird. The male is larger than the female, unlike most raptors.
A black vulture with a ruff of white feathers surrounding the base of the neck and, especially in the male, large white patches on the wings. The dull red head and neck are nearly featherless, which may flush and therefore change color according to the bird's emotional state.
The male, has a wattle on the neck and a large, dark red comb or caruncle on the crown.

Juvenile
Photo by Rodrigo Reyes
El Yeso, Central Andes, Central Chile, December 2008

Juveniles lack the distinctive white markings on neck and wings, and are instead overall grayish-brown, with blackish head and neck skin.

[edit] Distribution

South America: The Andes and coasts of Colombia to Tierra del Fuego.

Populations declining over the entire range, which historically included all the countries on the west coast of the continent.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].

Photo by Dwaalgast
Cruz del Condor, Colca Canyon, Peru, September 2006

[edit] Habitat

Mostly now limited to high elevations. Open grasslands, paramo regions.

[edit] Behaviour

Soars on flat out-stretched wings; not often seen perched.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Visual dictionary

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• Arthur Grosset's Birds