The king vulture is distinguished from the large number of other vultures by its brilliant plumage and its unusual appearance. Most American vultures are brown or black; the king vulture is a striking cream and black. It lives in Central and South America, usually in rather forested regions.
The Andean condor, which is much larger than the king vulture, is also found in South America but mainly in the Andes. This condor has a wingspread of about ten feet. The wingspread of the king vulture is about seven feet. Both birds, needless to say, are impressive in flight. The contrasting colours of the king vulture’s naked head are amazingly beautiful. The black of the beak becomes a clear reddish at the end. The rest of the skin on the head is a mixture of reds, purples, and yellows. Only adult birds have this vivid head colouring. The feathers on the back, the abdomen and the thighs are a soft cream. The lower part of the wings and the big tail feathers are a dark, iridescent greenish-blue.
King vultures, like other vultures, wait for the sun to warm the air before they begin their circling flight. Soaring on thermal updrafts, they are constantly on the lookout for dead animals. Because of their relatively weak feet, they cannot catch their own prey. When they spy carrion on the ground, they come down to feed. Many vultures will often feed at the same time and roost together at night in the same trees. Like all the members of their family, they perform a very useful job of sanitation.
King Vulture Pictures
