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Turkey Vulture
Seig, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Birds of prey & vultures

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758)

LC Least Concern

Names

EnglishTurkey Vulture
DutchRoodkopgier
SpanishZopilote aura
Chinese红头美洲鹫
Sranan Tongoopete (general name for the group)
Sranan Tongodyankro (general name for the group)
Scientific nameCathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758)

About this species

The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) 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.

Like all New World vultures, it is not closely related to the Old World vultures of Europe, Africa, and Asia. However, the two groups strongly resemble each other due to convergent evolution.

The turkey vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion. It finds its food using its keen eyes and sense of smell, flying low enough to detect the gasses produced by the early stages of decay in dead animals. In flight, it uses thermals to move through the air, flapping its wings infrequently. It roosts in large community groups. Lacking a syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses. It nests in caves, hollow trees, or thickets.

Read more on Wikipedia · Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderAccipitriformes
FamilyCathartidae
GenusCathartes

In Suriname

1,928Records in Suriname
34iNaturalist observations
1913First record
2026Latest record

Where it has been recorded

  • Para622
  • Paramaribo457
  • Commewijne437
  • Nickerie121
  • Sipaliwini87
  • Brokopondo69
  • Coronie40
  • Wanica36
  • Saramacca18
  • Marowijne17

Districts with at least one record that has coordinates. Shaded districts have records.

Records by month

All years combined.

Sources & credits

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