From Opus

Cathartes burrovianus

Photo by Bjorn Svensson

[edit] Identification

Black with a green gloss, the neck is pale orange, the top of the head is blue-grey, and the remainder of the head is various shades of yellow, with red or greenish blue areas; forecrown is red to blue. Crimson eyes, and the bill and cere reddish white. The legs are white or buff. On the standing bird, wings extend well beyond the end of the tail.

For discussion on separating this species from Greater Yellow-headed Vulture see reference^[1].

[edit] Distribution

Mexico; locally through Central America to Panama; in South America from Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, and the Guianas, through Brazil to Uruguay and northern Argentina.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized^[2]: burrovianus and the slightly larger urubitinga which occur in most of South America except northern Colombia and northern Venezuela.

[edit] Habitat

Grasslands and marshes, woodlands and along rivers.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

Diet includes fish and grubs.

[edit] References

1. Thread discussing id of the Yellow-headed vultures
2. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

[edit] External Links