Turkey vulture

Cathartes aura

Photo by Luis Leal (Trek Nature)

Common name:
turkey vulture (en); urubu-de-cabeça-vermelha (pt); urubu à tête rouge (fr); aura gallipavo (es); truthahngeier (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Falconiformes
Family Cathartidae

Range:
This species is found in most of the Americas, from southern Canada down to Tierra del Fuego, including the northern Caribbean islands down to Puerto Rico. The populations in Canada and in the western and north-eastern United States migrate south to winter, while other populations are resident.

Size:
These birds are 62-81 cm long and have a wingspan of 160-182 cm. They weigh 850-2.300 g.

Habitat:
The turkey vulture is found in a wide range of habitats, from hot deserts to wet grasslands, dry scrublands, temperate and tropical forests, savannas, pastures, and even sandy beaches. they occur from sea level up to an altitude of 4.300 m.

Diet:
They feed on carrion, eating mainly dead mammals, but also reptiles, other birds, amphibians, fish and even invertebrates. They specialize on the soft bits of carcasses. Turkey vultures can also kill sick or injured animals and nestlings.

Breeding:
Turkey vultures are monogamous and can possibly breed all year round, varying among different parts of their large breeding range. They don't build a nest, with the female laying 1-3 cream coloured eggs with brown or lavender spots, directly on the soil or among leaf litter. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 28-41 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 60-84 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status -LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 28 million individuals. The turkey vulture was affected by the side-effects of the pesticide DDT in the past, put at present the population is believed to be stable and populations in North America have been growing at a rate of 27% per decade over the last 4 decades.

California condor

Gymnogyps californianus

Photo by Scott Page (Tree of Life)

Common name:

California condor (en); condor-da-California (pt); condor de Californie (fr); cóndor de California (es); Kalifornischer kondor (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Falconiformes

Family Cathartidae

Range:

Historically this species was widespread in the south-eastern United States and along the Pacific coast, but it is currently confined to the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park, and the western coastal mountains of California and northern Baja California, Mexico.

Size:

These huge birds are 117-134 cm long and have a wingspan of 270-290 cm. They weigh 7-14 kg.

Habitat:

The California condor lives in rocky scrubland, coniferous forests, and oak savannas, often being found near cliffs or large trees, which they use as nesting sites.

Diet:

These birds are carrion eaters, primarily consuming large carcasses like goat, cattle, sheep, deer, horse and coyote, although they are also known to eat smaller food, such as rabbit and squirrel.

Breeding:

California condors are monogamous and mate for life. They start nesting in February-April and the pair makes a simple nest in caves or on cliff clefts, especially ones with nearby roosting trees and open spaces for landing. There the female lays 1 bluish-white egg, which is incubated by both parents for 53-60 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 5-7 months after hatching, but continue to roost and hunt with their parents until they are 2 years old. Typically, a pair only breeds once every 2 years.

Conservation:

IUCN status - CR (Critically Endangered)

This species has a restricted breeding range and a global population of just 44 mature individuals. This species suffered a drastic population decline during the 20th century, mostly attributed to persecution and accidental ingestion of fragments from lead bullets from carcasses, resulting in lead poisoning. In 1987 the species became extinct in the wild when the last 6 wild individuals were captured to join a captive-breeding recovery programme involving 27 birds. The species has since been re-introduced in the wild, currently counting 104 adult individuals, 44 of which are breeding. Publicity and awareness raising campaigns have been largely successful, but a few birds are still being shot. Currently the main threats continues to be the ingestion of lead from carcasses, but also collisions with powers lines.