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New World vulture

New World vultures
Temporal range: Eocene to Holocene
Large black bird with red, unfeathered head, perched on a rock and sitting looking to right of cameraman
Turkey vulture
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Cathartiformes
Family: Cathartidae
Lafresnaye, 1839
Genera

Coragyps
Cathartes
Gymnogyps
Vultur
Sarcoramphus

Turkeyvulturerange.jpg
Approximate Cathartidae range map

Yellow – Summer-only range of turkey vulture 
Green – At least one species present year-round


Coragyps
Cathartes
Gymnogyps
Vultur
Sarcoramphus

Yellow – Summer-only range of turkey vulture 
Green – At least one species present year-round

The New World vulture or condor family Cathartidae contains seven species in five genera, all but one of which are monotypic. It includes five vultures and two condors found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas. The "New World" vultures were widespread in both the Old World and North America during the Neogene.

New World vultures do not form a monophyletic clade with the superficially similar family of Old World vultures, but similarities between the two groups are due to convergent evolution. Many now consider them to be in their own order Cathartiformes, closely related to, but distinct from, Old World vultures and allies (Accipitriformes).

Vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly from of dead animals without apparent ill effects. Bacteria in the food source, pathogenic to other vertebrates, dominate the vulture’s gut flora, and vultures benefit from the bacterial breakdown of carrion tissue. New World vultures have a good sense of smell, whereas Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight. A particular characteristic of many vultures is a bald head, devoid of feathers.


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Wikipedia

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