Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

Cathartidae - New World Vultures

The Black Vulture is a stocky, broad-winged scavenger with entirely black plumage and a short, square tail. Its most distinctive feature is its bare, wrinkled gray-black head, which lacks the bright coloration of the Turkey Vulture. In flight, it shows white patches near the tips of its wings, contrasting with the otherwise dark feathers. Compared to the Turkey Vulture, it has shorter wings and a more rapid, choppier flight style, often flapping vigorously before gliding. Its strong, hooked bill is well-suited for tearing carrion, and its overall appearance is more compact and muscular.

Species eBird Ecuador Link: Black Vulture

@ Borja Road, Napo, Ecuador - 11/2/2025

In Ecuador, the Black Vulture is one of the most common and widespread scavenger birds, thriving in both rural and urban environments. It is found from coastal lowlands to the Amazon Basin and throughout the Andes, often soaring in large groups over towns, highways, and open countryside. Highly adaptable, it frequents garbage dumps, slaughterhouses, and fishing ports as readily as natural habitats like savannas and forest edges. Its tolerance of human activity makes it a familiar sight across Ecuador, often seen perched on rooftops, utility poles, or riverbanks.

@ Everglades Holiday Park, FL

Globally, the Black Vulture is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its vast range across the Americas and its robust population. It has benefited from human expansion, exploiting refuse and roadkill as reliable food sources. While localized threats such as poisoning, collisions, and habitat degradation exist, none are currently significant enough to cause major declines. Its ecological role as a scavenger is vital, helping to clean up carrion and reduce the spread of disease.

The Black Vulture is highly social, often feeding and roosting in large groups, unlike the more solitary Turkey Vulture. It lacks the strong sense of smell that Turkey Vultures possess, so it often relies on following them to carcasses, then using its more aggressive behavior to dominate feeding. Another fascinating trait is its cooperative breeding system: in some regions, multiple adults help feed and protect chicks at a single nest. Black Vultures typically nest on the ground, in caves, hollow logs, or abandoned buildings, laying two eggs that both parents incubate. Their adaptability to human-altered landscapes has made them one of the most successful scavenger species in the Americas.

@ Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary - Bird's Eye View Lodge, Belize District, Belize

@ Virgin de Socorro, Alajuela, Costa Rica

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