Coragyps atratus, also known as the black vulture, are compact birds with broad wings, keen eyesight, and feet made for running. Their conservation status is least concern. That means they are far from being endangered animals. They live from about 16-21 years and hold an interesting lifestyle.

       

A black vulture's appearance includes a wingspan of 132-152 centimeters as an adult. Both adults and the young have bare, wrinkled skin on their head and neck, but the skin is brown when young, and black when an adult.  As adults, they are uniform black, with an exception of little white patches on the tips of the underside of their wings, known as “stars”. These birds have relatively weak bills, and feet that are not so great for clutching as they are for running. Also, black vultures lack a syrink, which is the vocal organ of birds, so their only vocalization are grunts or low hisses.

       

Black vultures reproduce sexually, and each bird is either male or female. The females lay their eggs in hollow bases of trees or stumps, cliff edges, caves, ground under dense vegetation, in holes under rocks, and even in abandoned buildings. These birds don't use any materials to build their nests. Usually, the female black vulture lays only two eggs. Each parent incubate the eggs until they hatch, which takes about 28-41 days. The young remain in the nests for about two months, and by 75-80 days, they are able to fly proficiently.

       

These birds have specific diets, depending on their locations. Black vultures that live in natural settings mainly eat carrion. If they live in human-populated areas they will scavenge at garbage dumps. Aside from that, they will take eggs, decomposing plant material, newborn animals that they injure or kill, and incapacitated animals. Occasionally, black vultures will feed on livestock and deer.

       

These birds have a Nearctic or Neotropic distribution, which means they either live somewhere between the Southern United States,Central America, Mexico, or in most of South America. Black vultures don't usually migrate, so they pretty much stay in one place. However, the birds that live in the extreme north of its range will migrate short distances. This species of bird usually like to live in lowlands, so it is very unlikely that you'd find one in mountainous areas.

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Author: 

Published: 02/2013

 

Sources:

Author Unknown. “Black Vulture.” All About Birds. Accessed Feb. 18, 2014.         http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/black_vulture/id

Author Unknown. “Black Vulture.” Wikipedia. 2014.         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Vulture

Terres, John K. “American Vulture Family.” The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. 1956-1980.

Elliot, G. “Coragyps atratus.” Animal Diversity Web. 2012.         http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Coragyps_atratus/