Greater yellow-headed vulture

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Greater yellow-headed vulture
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes melambrotus) in flight from below.jpg
Tucuruí, Pará
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Cathartiformes
Family: Cathartidae
Genus: Cathartes
Species:
C. melambrotus
Binomial name
Cathartes melambrotus
Wetmore, 1964
Cathartes melambrotus map.svg
Range/distribution map of the greater yellow-headed vulture IUCN data. [1]

The greater yellow-headed vulture (Cathartes melambrotus), also known as the forest vulture, [2] is a species of bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae. It was considered to be the same species as the lesser yellow-headed vulture until they were split in 1964. [3] It is found in South America in tropical moist lowland forests. It is a fairly large bird, with a wingspan of 166–178 cm (65–70 in), a weight of 1.65 kilograms (3.6 lb) and a body length of 64–75 cm (25–30 in). The body plumage is black, and the head and neck, which are featherless, range in color from deep yellow to pale orange. It lacks a syrinx, and its vocalizations are therefore limited to grunts or low hisses.

Contents

The greater yellow-headed vulture feeds on carrion and locates carcasses by sight and by smell, an ability which is rare in birds. It is dependent on larger vultures, such as the king vulture, to open the hides of larger animal carcasses, as its bill is not strong enough to do this. Like other New World vultures, the greater yellow-headed vulture utilizes thermals to stay aloft with minimal effort. It lays its eggs on flat surfaces, such as the floors of caves, or in the hollows of stumps. It feeds its young by regurgitation.

Taxonomy

The greater yellow-headed and the lesser yellow-headed vulture were distinguished as separate species and described in 1964 by Alexander Wetmore; both species had earlier been known as yellow-headed vultures. The greater yellow-headed vulture's genus is Cathartes, which means "purifier", and is Latinized from the Greek kathartēs/καθαρτης. [4] The common name, vulture, is derived from the Latin word vulturus, meaning "tearer," in reference to its feeding habits. [5]

The exact taxonomic placement of the greater yellow-headed vulture and the remaining six species of New World vultures remains unclear. [6] Although they are similar in appearance and have similar ecological roles, the New World and Old World vultures evolved from different ancestors in different parts of the world. Just how different the two are is currently under debate, with some earlier authorities suggesting that the New World vultures are more closely related to storks. [7] More recent authorities assert their overall position in the order Falconiformes along with the Old World vultures [8] or place them in their own order, Cathartiformes. [9] The South American Classification Committee has removed the New World vultures from Ciconiiformes and instead placed them in Incertae sedis , but notes that a move to Falconiformes or Cathartiformes is possible. [6]

Sacha Lodge - Ecuador Great Yellow-headed Vulture.jpg
Sacha Lodge - Ecuador

Description

Diagram showing general coloration Cathartes melambrotus flight.svg
Diagram showing general coloration

The greater yellow-headed vulture is 64–75 centimetres (25–30 in) in length, with a wingspan of 166–178 centimetres (65–70 in), a tail length of 25–29 centimetres (9.8–11.4 in) [10] and a weight averaging 1.65 kilograms (3.6 lb). [11] Its plumage is black with a green or purple sheen. The throat and the sides of the head are featherless. The skin on the head ranges in color from deep yellow to pale orange with a blue crown. [12] The nape and the area near the nostrils are pale pinkish. The undersides of the wings are black, while the flight feathers are a lighter shade. The quills of the eleven primary feathers appear to be white when seen from above. [13] The tail is rounded and long for a vulture, extending to or slightly beyond the tip of the closed wing. The sexes are outwardly similar. [14] The head is dull greyish in juveniles, which otherwise resemble adults.

The irises of its eyes are red, its feet are black, and its beak is flesh-colored. [15] The eye has a single incomplete row of eyelashes on the upper lid and two rows on the lower lid. [16] Its beak is thick, rounded, and hooked at the tip. [17] Because of its habit of urohidrosis, the scaly portions of its legs are often streaked white with uric acid. The front toes are long with small webs at their bases and are not adapted to grasping. The opening of the nostril is longitudinal and set in a soft cere, and the nostril lack a septum. Like all New World vultures, the greater yellow-headed vulture lacks a syrinx, and is therefore unable to make any sound other than grunts or a low hiss. [18]

It differs in appearance from the similar lesser yellow-headed vulture in several ways. It is larger than the lesser yellow-headed vulture, with a longer, broader tail. The plumage is a dark, glossy black in contrast to the lesser yellow-headed vulture's browner plumage. Its legs are darker in color and its head is more yellow and less orange/pink than that of the lesser yellow-headed vulture. Its wings are broader and its flight is also steadier. [10] Unlike the other members of the genus Cathartes , the greater yellow-headed vulture has relatively dark inner primaries, which contrast slightly with the paler secondaries and outer primaries. The greater yellow-headed vulture prefers to live in forests while the lesser yellow-headed vulture prefers to inhabit savannas, and it is more heavily built than the lesser yellow-headed vulture. [19] The greater yellow-headed vulture is also somewhat larger than the turkey vulture. It can be distinguished from that species only at relatively close range by the differing head coloration. The underwing coloration is similar to the turkey vulture but the greater yellow-headed usually has a faint but broad and dark band vertically down the middle of the wings. [20]

Distribution and habitat

The greater yellow-headed vulture is found in the Amazon Basin of tropical South America; specifically in south-eastern Colombia, southern and eastern Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, northern and western Brazil, northern Bolivia, eastern Peru and eastern Ecuador. It is not found in the Andes, in the lowlands west or north of the Andes, in the relatively open regions of northern South America, eastern South America, or in the southern subtropical regions. It has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 6,700,000 square kilometers (2,586,884.5 sq mi). Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is not generally found in high-altitude regions. [1] It is common in heavily forested regions. It may wander over grasslands, but rarely strays far from forested areas, which provide shelter and nesting areas. [13]

Ecology and behavior

The greater yellow-headed vulture roosts on high, exposed dead trees to observe surrounding terrain. When flying, it travels in pairs or alone and is rarely found in groups. Flight is heavy and steady. It flies with its wings held flat or very slightly above horizontal, in what is called the dihedral position. [13] The flight of the greater yellow-headed is an example of static soaring flight, which uses thermals to maintain altitude without the need to flap its wings. [17] The greater yellow-headed vulture also has the unusual habit of urohidrosis, in which it urinates or defecates on its legs to cool them evaporatively. This behavior is exhibited by storks and New World vultures. [8]

Breeding

Greater yellow-headed vultures do not build nests, but rather lay their eggs directly on cliffs, the floors of caves, the ground, or in the hollows of stumps. Eggs are cream-colored and blotched with brown spots, particularly around the larger end. [13] Clutch size ranges from one to three, though two is the norm. [17] The chicks are altricial—blind, naked and relatively immobile upon hatching, and grow down feathers later. The parents feed their young by regurgitating pre-digested food into their beak, where the chicks then drink it. [17] Young fledge after two to three months. [21]

Feeding

The greater yellow-headed vulture is a scavenger and subsists entirely on carrion. [15] It will eat roadkill or other animal carcasses, such as snakes, armadillos, dogs, foxes and cattle. [22] Forest diet is likely to include high proportion of carcasses of the abundant sloths ( Choloepus / Bradypus ), whose combined total range coincides largely with those of this species and the lesser yellow-headed vulture, as well as monkeys, sloths, opossums, rats, birds and fish. [23] [24] [22] It prefers fresh meat, but often cannot make the first cut into the carcass of a larger animal as its beak is not strong enough to tear into the tough hide. After a few days, the greater yellow-headed vulture will no longer feed on a piece of carrion, as the meat will begin to decay and become contaminated with microbial toxins. [25] It will drink water from a pool, pond, or any receptacle provided. [17] Like other vultures, they play an important role in the ecosystem by disposing of carrion which could otherwise be a breeding ground for disease. [26]

The greater yellow-headed vulture forages using its keen eyesight to locate carrion on the ground, but also uses its sense of smell, an ability which is uncommon in the avian world. It locates carrion by detecting the scent of ethyl mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay in dead animals. The olfactory lobe of its brain responsible for processing smells is particularly large compared to other animals. [25] This characteristic of New World vultures has been used by humans: ethyl mercaptan is injected into pipelines, and engineers looking for leaks then follow the vultures. [27]

King vultures, which lack the ability to smell carrion, follow the greater yellow-headed vultures to carcasses, where the king vulture tears open the skin of the dead animal. This allows the smaller greater yellow-headed vulture access to food, as it does not have a bill strong enough to tear the hide of larger animals. This is an example of mutual dependence between species. [28] It is generally displaced from carcasses by both turkey vultures and king vultures, due to their larger size. [26]

Conservation

The greater yellow-headed vulture is listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It has an estimated global range of 6,700,000 square kilometers (2,600,000 sq mi) and a population of between 100,000 and 1,000,000 individuals. [29] There is evidence that suggests a decline in the species' population, but it is not significant enough to warrant an upgrade in conservation status. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vulture</span> Common name for a type of bird

A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture. Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and South America and consist of seven identified species, all belonging to the Cathartidae family. A particular characteristic of many vultures is a bald, unfeathered head. This bare skin is thought to keep the head clean when feeding, and also plays an important role in thermoregulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New World vulture</span> Family of birds

Cathartidae, known commonly as New World vultures or condors, are a family of birds of prey consisting of seven extant species in five genera. It includes five extant vultures and two extant condors found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas. They are known as "New World" vultures to distinguish them from Old World vultures, with which the Cathartidae does not form a single clade despite the two being similar in appearance and behavior as a result of convergent evolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lappet-faced vulture</span> Species of bird

The lappet-faced vulture or Nubian vulture is an Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Torgos. It is not closely related to the superficially similar New World vultures, and does not share the good sense of smell of some members of that family of birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkey vulture</span> Most widespread New World vulture

The turkey vulture is the most widespread of the New World vultures. One of three species in the genus Cathartes of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas, including subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black vulture</span> New World vulture

The black vulture, also known as the American black vulture, Mexican vulture, zopilote, urubu, or gallinazo, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the southeastern United States to Perú, Central Chile and Uruguay in South America. Although a common and widespread species, it has a somewhat more restricted distribution than its compatriot, the turkey vulture, which breeds well into Canada and all the way south to Tierra del Fuego. It is the only extant member of the genus Coragyps, which is in the family Cathartidae. Despite the similar name and appearance, this species is not closely related to the Eurasian black vulture, an Old World vulture, of the family Accipitridae. For ease of locating animal corpses, black vultures tend to inhabit relatively open areas with scattered trees, such as chaparral, in addition to subtropical forested areas and parts of the Brazilian pantanal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinereous vulture</span> Species of bird

The cinereous vulture is a large raptor in the family Accipitridae and distributed through much of temperate Eurasia. It is also known as the black vulture, monk vulture and Eurasian black vulture. With a body length of 1.2 m, 3.1 m (10 ft) across the wings and a maximum weight of 14 kg (31 lb), it is the largest Old World vulture and largest member of the Accipitridae family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andean condor</span> Species of bird

The Andean condor is a South American New World vulture and is the only member of the genus Vultur. It is found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America. With a maximum wingspan of 3.3 m and weight of 15 kg (33 lb), the Andean condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world, and is generally considered to be the largest bird of prey in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King vulture</span> Large bird found in Central and South America

The king vulture is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. It is the only surviving member of the genus Sarcoramphus, although fossil members are known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bateleur</span> Species of bird

The bateleur is a medium-sized eagle in the family Accipitridae. It is often considered a relative of the snake eagles and, like them, it is classified within the subfamily Circaetinae. It is the only member of the genus Terathopius and may be the origin of the "Zimbabwe Bird", the national emblem of Zimbabwe. Adult bateleurs are generally black in colour with a chestnut colour on the mantle as well as also on the rump and tail. Adults also have gray patches about the leading edges of the wings with bright red on their cere and their feet. Adults also show white greater coverts, contrasting with black remiges in males, gray patches on the underwing primaries and black wingtips. The juvenile bateleur is quite different, being largely drab brown with a bit of paler feather scaling. All bateleurs have extremely large heads for their size, rather small bills, large feet, relatively short legs, long, bow-like wings and uniquely short tails, which are much smaller still on adults compared to juvenile birds.

<i>Cathartes</i> Genus of birds

The genus Cathartes includes medium-sized to large carrion-feeding birds in the New World vulture (Cathartidae) family. The three extant species currently classified in this genus occur widely in the Americas. There is one extinct species known from the Quaternary of Cuba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathartiformes</span> Order of birds

The Cathartiformes order of scavenging birds includes the New World vultures and the now-extinct Teratornithidae. Unlike many Old World Vultures, this group of birds lack talons and musculature in their feet suitable to seize prey. In the past, they were considered to be a sister group to the storks of the order Ciconiiformes based on DNA–DNA hybridization and morphology. However, a 2021 analysis of mitochondrial genes suggested a stronger phylogenetic relationship between Cathartiformes and subfamilies of Accipitriformes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser yellow-headed vulture</span> Species of bird

The lesser yellow-headed vulture also known as the savannah vulture, is a species of bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae. It was considered to be the same species as the greater yellow-headed vulture until they were split in 1964. It is found in Mexico, Central America, and South America in seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, swamps, and heavily degraded former forest. It is a large bird, with a wingspan of 150–165 cm (59–65 in). The body plumage is black, and the head and neck, which are featherless, are pale orange with red or blue areas. It lacks a syrinx, so therefore its vocalizations are limited to grunts or low hisses.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 BirdLife International (2016). "Cathartes melambrotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22697633A93626176. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22697633A93626176.en . Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  2. ↑ "Species account: Greater Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes melambrotus". Global Raptor Information Network. 2014-05-08. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
  3. ↑ Wetmore, Alexander (1964). "A revision of the American vultures of the genus Cathartes". Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. 146 (6): 15–17.
  4. ↑ Liddell, Henry George; Robert Scott (1980). Greek-English Lexicon, Abridged Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-910207-4.
  5. ↑ Holloway, Joel Ellis (2003). Dictionary of Birds of the United States: Scientific and Common Names. Timber Press. p. 59. ISBN   0-88192-600-0.
  6. 1 2 Remsen, J. V. Jr.; C. D. Cadena; A. Jaramillo; M. Nores; J. F. Pacheco; M. B. Robbins; T. S. Schulenberg; F. G. Stiles; D. F. Stotz & K. J. Zimmer. 2007. A classification of the bird species of South America. Archived 2009-03-02 at the Wayback Machine South American Classification Committee. Retrieved on 2007-10-15
  7. ↑ Sibley, Charles G. and Monroe, Burt L. (1990). Distribution and Taxonomy of the Birds of the World . Yale University Press. ISBN   0-300-04969-2. Accessed 2007-04-11.
  8. 1 2 Sibley, Charles G., and Ahlquist, Jon E. (1991). Phylogeny and Classification of Birds: A Study in Molecular Evolution . Yale University Press. ISBN   0-300-04085-7. Accessed 2007-04-11.
  9. ↑ Ericson, Per G. P.; Anderson, Cajsa L.; Britton, Tom; Elżanowski, Andrzej; Johansson, Ulf S.; Kallersjö, Mari; Ohlson, Jan I.; Parsons, Thomas J.; Zuccon, Dario; Mayr, Gerald (2006). "Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils" (PDF). Biology Letters . 2 (4): 543–547. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0523. PMC   1834003 . PMID   17148284. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-11-08. Electronic Supplementary Material (PDF)
  10. 1 2 Ferguson-Lees, James; Christie, David A. (2001). Raptors of the World. Houghton Mifflin Field Guides. p. 86. ISBN   0-618-12762-3.
  11. ↑ "Greater Yellow-headed Vulture".
  12. ↑ Brown, Leslie; Amadon, Dean (1968). Eagles, Hawks, and Falcons of the World. McGraw-Hill. p. 178. ISBN   1-55521-472-X.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Hilty, Stephen L. (1977). A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press. p. 88. ISBN   0-691-08372-X.
  14. ↑ Blake, Emmett Reid (1977). Manual of Neotropical Birds. University of Chicago Press. p. 262. ISBN   0-226-05641-4.
  15. 1 2 Channing, Keith. "Greater Yellow-headed Vulture". The Hawk Conservancy. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
  16. ↑ Fisher, Harvey I. (February 1942). "The Pterylosis of the Andean Condor". Condor. 44 (1): 30–32. doi:10.2307/1364195. JSTOR   1364195.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 Terres, J. K. (1980). The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. New York, NY: Knopf. p.  957. ISBN   0-394-46651-9.
  18. ↑ Feduccia, J. Alan (1999). The Origin and Evolution of Birds. Yale University Press. p. 300. ISBN   0-226-05641-4.
  19. ↑ Amadon, Dean (1977). "Notes on the Taxonomy of Vultures" (PDF). Condor. 79 (4): 413–416. doi:10.2307/1367720. JSTOR   1367720.
  20. ↑ The Birds of Ecuador by Robert S. Ridgely & Paul Greenfield. Cornell University Press (2001), ISBN   978-0-8014-8722-4.
  21. ↑ Howell, Steve N.G. and Webb, Sophie (1995). A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 174. ISBN   0-19-854012-4.
  22. 1 2 Jones, Matthew F. (2020). "Greater Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes melambrotus), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.gyhvul1.01.
  23. ↑ Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D.A. & Franklin, K. & Mead, D. & Burton, P.. (2001). Raptors of the world. Helm Identification Guides.
  24. ↑ "Greater Yellow-headed Vulture | the Peregrine Fund".
  25. 1 2 Snyder, Noel F. R.; Snyder, Helen (2006). Raptors of North America: Natural History and Conservation . Voyageur Press. p.  40. ISBN   0-7603-2582-0.
  26. 1 2 Gomez, LG; Houston, DC; Cotton, P; Tye, A (1994). "The role of greater yellow-headed vultures Cathartes melambrotus as scavengers in neotropical forest". Ibis. 136 (2): 193–196. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1994.tb01084.x. Archived from the original on 2009-02-16. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  27. ↑ "Avian Olfaction". Cornell University . Retrieved 2007-10-25.
  28. ↑ Muller-Schwarze, Dietland (2006). Chemical Ecology of Vertebrates. Cambridge University Press. p. 350. ISBN   0-521-36377-2 . Retrieved 2013-09-12.
  29. ↑ BirdLife International (2024). "Greater Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes melambrotus". BLI Datazone.
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