| Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus (Bechstein, 1793)) |
|
|
|
Scientific name: Coragyps atratus (Bechstein, 1793) Common name: Black Vulture Other names: American Black Vulture French name: Urubu noir, Vautour urubu. Order: Accipitriformes Family: Cathartidae Size: Body size: 56 to 74 cm; Wingspan: 133 to 167 cm; Weight: 2 to 2.7 kg. Habitat: Various open habitats, including urban areas. Missing in dense forests. Food: The Black Vulture is a scavenger which feeds on carrions but can also attack some small animals like small mammals, small birds or young turtles. It can also feed on fruits. Nesting: Black Vultures lay they eggs directly on the ground, without any nesting material, in a hollow tree or on the edge of a cliff per example. There are generally two eggs which are incubated by both parents.. Migration: Sedentary. Geographic area: South of the United-States, Central America, South America except the extreme southern regions. |
The Black Vulture has an almost black plumage. The head and neck are covered with a grey and wrinkled bare skin. The bill is short and hooked. The legs are short and greyish white. The tip of the wings, on the under side of the primaries, is a pale colour. This particularity, mainly visible in flight, is used to tell the Black Vulture apart from the other Vulture species. So dealing with the other American black Vultures, let's mention the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), which bears a red head. In flight, the underside of the wings is marked with a dark V-shape formed by the covers. The remiges are silver-grey. You can tell apart the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes burrovianu) with its … yellow head. The under side of the wings shows the same dark V-shape than the Turkey Vulture. |
| [To know more about the Black Vulture] [Next picture] [Top] |
|
I have shot this picture at Awala-Yalimapo, not far from the beach called "les Hattes". |
| [To know more about the Black Vulture] [Previous picture] [Top] |
|
I have observed these Black Vultures between the houses of the village. They were certainly looking for food among garbage. The proximity of the beach "les Hattes" makes me think that they can also be predators of young turtles at the time they walk to the sea just after having hatched out. |
André Bon March 2014