Description
Lifespan: Up to 30 years
It belongs to the Cathartidae family of vultures from the New World. The King vulture is the most colorful New World vulture, with a variety of colors on its head, from blue and purple to red or orange. Its wingspan can reach six feet, and its bill is more curled than those of other vulture species. Women and men have similar appearances. It’s bigger size, dazzling colour, and modified features, which are more potent for feeding from the toughest animal carcasses, are what gave it its name.
Native Range/Habitat
King vultures can be found in southern Mexico, northern Argentina, and much of South and Central America. They mostly live in moist tropical woods, though they can also be found in more open spaces like savannahs and grasslands. These birds favour the untouched, mammalian-filled woodlands.
Behavior
King vultures do not gather in huge flocks; instead, they stick together as families. Most of the time, they are flying around and soaring far above the earth in search of food, or they are hidden away, perched high in the canopy. They do not migrate; rather, they stay in the same place all year. Since they are a diurnal species, they spend a lot of time in the sun sunbathing and conserving energy, occasionally preening their wing feathers.
King vultures lack an excellent sense of smell, in contrast to certain other vulture species, therefore they must rely on other vultures to find their food before they can descend to take part in the feeding. Rarely hostile, these birds normally avoid physical conflict by fleeing. Due to the size of their bodies and wings, they completely rely on air currents for flight and only flap their wings when absolutely necessary. King vultures lack a syrinx (a vocal box) and the muscles required to use it. They have an extremely low croak voice. When someone approaches their nest during the breeding season, they will make warning sounds.
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