Latin Etymology: Cathartes ("cleanser") aura (based on an indigineous Mexican name for species)
Adult Turkey Vulture (subspecies C. a. meridionalis) at Berkeley, California - September 2022
Featured Subspecies: Western Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura meridionalis)
Weight: 0.8-2.4kg / Length: 62-81cm / Wingspan: 160-183cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
The Turkey Vulture is a member of the New-World Vultures, a group that is evolutionarily distinct from the Vultures featured on this website to date, belonging to their own separate family. The Turkey vulture is probably the archetypal bird of this family, a large black bird with a bright red head which feeds on carrion. They were one of the commonest raptors we encountered on the trip, particularly in hilly areas where they were often thermaling.
Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Cathartidae
Genus: Cathartes
SUBSPECIES: C. a. aura, C. a. jota, C. a. meridionalis, C. a. ruficollis, C. a. septentrionalis
- Sighting Locations -
Found throughout the Lower 48 - Summer visitor to more Northern states, resident in the South
- CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Jose, Berkeley, Hayward and Big Sur
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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