Coragyps atratus

• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes

Common Names

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Description

Family Ciconiidae

Large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills. Only 19 living species, they are all mute.

Physical Description

Habitat

Vegetation: arid lowland scrubs, second-growth scrub, low seasonally wet grasslands, arid lowland scrubs, arid lowland scrubs, pastures and agricultural lands, river edge and river island forests • Maximum Elevation: 2,800 meters • Foraging Strata: Aerial • Center of Abundance: Lower tropical: lowlands, lower than 500 m.; tropics. • Sensitivity to Disturbancet: Low

Ecology:
List of Habitats :1.6Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland 3.5Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry 4.6Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded 14.2Artificial/Terrestrial - Pastureland 14.6Artificial/Terrestrial - Subtropical/Tropical Heavily Degraded Former Forest

Biology

Diet

This species is a carrion feeder , eating almost any type of dead animal. The Black Vulture also preys on some small vertebrates , including young birds and small mammals. It can be commonly seen on the roadside eating vehicle-killed animals.

Reproduction

The breeding season occurs from January to July, peaking in March-April. This species will nest in a variety of situations, including on the ground under shrubs , on a cliff , in sheds or barns, or in a hollow log . No nest is built. The female lays 1-3 (usually 2) eggs that she and the male incubate for 37-48 days. The young are semi-altricial and are cared for by the adults for 80-94 days after they hatch .

• Clutch Size: 2
• Length of Incubation : 37-48 days
• Days to Fledge : 80-94
• Number of Broods: 1

Migration

Some migrate

Behavior

The Black Vulture uses mostly sight to find its food. In the evening, many individuals roost together. When frightened, the Black Vulture responds by swiftly regurgitating its last meal in the direction of whomever or whatever has frightened it.

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms

1. Coragyps atratus (Bechstein) 1793

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 17-Oct-2001

Similar Species

Common in the SE US and in many parts of NC, Black Vultures can be distinguished from Turkey Vultures by their grayish-black skin on their heads. (Turkey Vultures have reddish skin on their heads.) Black Vultures also have a quicker wing-beat and shorter, broader wings. Also note the the whitish wingtips due to the light colored outermost primary feathers.

Members of the genus Coragyps

There are approximately 5 species in this genus:

C. atratus (Black Vulture) · C. atratus atratus · C. atratus foetens · C. atratus urubu · C. occidentalis

Bibliography

• Bird Reference Citations. The numbers inserted in the text accounts above (usually in bold) refer to references. For further details on these references, click on the BirdLife International link above to go to the specific species account on the BirdLife web site. In some cases, particularly in the taxonomic notes, the references are cited using the author names. Details for these can be found on the BirdLife International web site at the following two places: For References from A–L. For References from M–Z.
• BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened Birds of the World. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, U.K.
• BirdLife International. 2004 Threatened Birds of the World 2004. CD-ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

More Info

• Search for Pictures: images.google.com
• Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
• Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Notes

Contributors

• BirdLife International 2004. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 18, 2008.
• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 26, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 17 providers.
• Pippen, Jeffrey S. Jeff's Nature Page. Accessed December 2, 2007.
• Universal Biological Indexer and Organizer. uBio.org accessed July 17, 2008.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 26, 2007:

• Avian Knowledge Network, eBird
• Biologiezentrum der Oberoesterreichischen Landesmuseen, Biologiezentrum Linz
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility, Provincial Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Birds
• Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Terrestrial vertebrate specimens
• New Brunswick Museum, NBM birds
• Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Musem of Natural History
• UNIBIO, IBUNAM, CNAV/Coleccion Nacional de Aves
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
• , Bird specimens

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 3851848
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-175272
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13816252
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 175272
• IUCN ID: 49647
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: ABNKA01010
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 218

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