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Common Name: Lesser Yellow-Headed Vulture

Scientific Name: Cathartes burrovianus

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Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Falconiformes

Family: Cathartidae

Genus: Cathartes

Species: C. Burrovianus

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My bird is Lesser Yellow-Vulture.  The first lesser yellow-headed vulture was described in 1845 by John Cassin.  There is a remaining of six species in the whole world. They reproduce 80 diploid chromosomes. It is known by its eating habits.  Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture’s population trends to be stable.

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The lesser yellow-headed vulture length is 53-66 cm. The wingspan is 150-165cm and their tail length is 19-24cm.Their weight is 2.1-3.4 lbs. so as you can see they don’t weigh very high.  Their plumage is black with a green sheen and their throat and sides of the head is featherless.  Their head and neck are bare of feathers. Their skin color is like yellow with a reddish forehead.  Their crown part of their head is a grey-blueish. Their wings are red with a black pupil. The lesser yellow-headed legs are white and their beak is a flesh color and its also thick,  rounded and hooked at the tip.  The tail is rounded and short.  Their toes are long are long with small webs at their bases. The lesser yellow-headed vulture doesn’t make any sounds but it makes a low hiss sound and its smaller then the greater yellow-headed vulture.

 

The lesser yellow-headed vulture is found in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico and many more states. Its a crow- like bird and its called ''Crows Ravine.'' they dwell together with the black and turkey vulture. It perches on low posts and glides at low altitudes. It usually flies over wet lands/areas. This bird travels alone and rarely found in a group. It soars low and rarely high. When its hot the bird urinates on its legs to cool them. The population range is 100,000 to ~1,000,000 individuals and appears to be a stable population.

 

The lesser yellow-headed vulture is a scavenger. Its usually eats roadkill and is known for hunting food. The lesser yellow-headed vulture prefers fresh  meat, and it can't be the first to tear open the meat but its beak isn't strong enough. It sense and sees the roadkill. This bird play a role in the ecosystem.

                                                                        

As you can see, this an interesting bird. The lesser yellow-headed bird is different from any other kind of bird. This bird behave differently and acts different. This bird clearly is similar to the Greater Yellow-Headed Vulture.

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Author: Railene A.

Published: 02/14/14 

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Sources:Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

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