Thursday, December 18, 2008

Black Vulture

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
The Black Vulture is very common but in 1972 it was blue-listed for two reasons: a decrease in numbers of suitable tree cavities for nest sites due to forest fire control, and widespread eggshell thinning from pesticides such as DDT. Its populations have rebounded and it now considered a pest species due to population explosion in urban centers.
(Terres 1980)
Food Habits:
Black Vultures tend to gather around garbage dumps, sewers, and slaughterhouses in search of carrion and scavenge along roadsides for road kill. These vultures are known to kill baby herons on nesting colonies, and feed on domestic ducks, newborn calves, small mammals, small birds, eggs, skunks, opossums, ripe or rotten fruit or vegetables and young turtles. Black Vultures are opportunistic predators who tend to gorge themselves when they find a suitable food source.
(Terres 1980)
The Animal Diversity Web






Photos by Juan Aguero (juanKa)
Everglades National Park 2007-2008



1 comment:

Lisetg said...

que super feas...pero buenas fotos. me encanta la ultima.

yo le tire a una un dia cuando terminabamos nuestro viaje en canoa y me parecio una cosa de peliculas de horror. la mascota de un mago indeseable o de una bruja malefica.

uff, se me erizo la piel. No obstante, la persegui para tirarle la foto.