Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)

Formerly very rare in New Jersey. So much so that in one notorious case a "World Series of Birding" team suppressed the location of a stakeout Black Vulture to gain a competitive "big day" advantage over other teams. These vultures have since expanded their range and are now well established residents throughout the state. These scavengers have benefited from deforestation. Unlike the familiar Turkey Vulture which can find food by smell, the Black Vulture relies on line-of-sight to find food. North American birds are the nominate race. They are larger and have less obvious white markings on the underside of the primaries than populations in the tropics. Formerly included with the Storks in the Ciconiidae family, they are now placed in their own family the Cathartidae, New World Vultures.