American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)

 

Synonyms: Vultur atratus, Catharista urubu, Black Vulture (in North America)

 

 

Coragyps atratus is widely distributed in the Americas from the eastern United States to central Chile and Argentina; occurs in Trinidad, but is accidental elsewhere in the West Indies. American Black Vultures are found in open and semi-open habitats including woodlands, savannas, shrublands, deserts, grasslands, pastures, and fields; often in the vicinity of garbage dumps, slaughterhouses, and markets in rural and urban areas in the tropics. Mainly in lowlands, but up to 2,800 m in the Andes. A relatively small vulture; length 50-74 cm; wingspan of 150 cm; weight 1.2-3 kg. The plumage is black. Head and neck are bare, with dark gray and wrinkled skin; beak is hooked. The wings and the tail are broad but relatively short. The legs are grayish white. This species nests in hollow logs or stumps (usually below 3 m), crevices, shallow caves, thickets, abandoned buildings, or on cliff edges. Eggs (2 per clutch) are laid on bare soil, rotten wood, or other substrate. Incubation 28-41 days. The young fledge after 63-70 days. These vultures are mostly scavengers, feeding on carrion, refuse, including ripe or rotten fruit; known to kill newborn or small mammals, bird nestlings, turtle hatchlings, etc. Often attends resting capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and pecks off ticks. Gregarious when roosting and feeding, but may be aggressive towards other scavengers and drive away the larger Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura).

 

		D39646 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
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		22353 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Pedernales River Valley Gillespie County, Texas, USA Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
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		D39645 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
		D35176 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Blanchisseuse, Trinidad Trinidad and Tobago Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
		D32053 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Grande Riviere, Trinidad Trinidad and Tobago Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
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		22350 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Pedernales River Valley Gillespie County, Texas, USA Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
		D31970 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Grande Riviere, Trinidad Trinidad and Tobago Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
		D31974 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Grande Riviere, Trinidad Trinidad and Tobago Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
		D39647 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
		D32050 American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Grande Riviere, Trinidad Trinidad and Tobago Copyright © Michael Patrikeev All Rights Reserved
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