RAPTORS of The World
Raptors are carnivorous. They hunt by sight during the day, are long lived, and have low reproductive rates. The catch their prey via strong claws – three pointing forward and one pointing backward.
The raptors that hunt by day are: hawks, eagle, buzzards, harriers, kites, vultures, falcons, caracaras. Owls hunt by night. Raptors are also called birds of prey.
New World Vultures
Order Accipitriformes Family Cathartidae
The order Accipitriformes contains the diurnal (active during the day) birds of prey: hawks, goshawks, eagles, kites, vultures, ospreys, secretary birds. These birds have sometimes been considered part of the Falconiformes which contains the falcons, but DNA evidence indicates the orders should be separate.
The Cathartidae family contains the New World vultures. They are not closely related to Old World Vultures. They resemble each other because of convergent evolution. Vultures in general feed on dead animals. They tend to have bald heads to minimize the feathers that get contaminated from carrion. New World Vulture have a good sense of smell which they use to help locate their meals.
Genus Cathartes
Vulture, Greater Yellow-headed Cathartes melambrotus Found: South America
Photographed by Charlie Westerinen
Vulture, Lesser Yellow-headed Cathartes burrovianus Found:
Central and South America
Photographed by: 1) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 2) Lip Kee Yap - Ibera Marshes, Argentina
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 4, 5) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center
4, 5) Leucistic Turkey Vultures (that is, whitish Turkey Vultures)
Genus Coragyps - 1 species
Vulture, Black also American Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Florida 2) Dick - South Carolina 3) Alan D. Wilson near Austwell, Texas
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4) Sandy Cole - Flamingo Gardens in Florida 5) Charlie Westerinen 6, 7) Dick - South Carolina 8) Dick - Florida
Genus Gymnogyps - 1 species
Condor, California Gymnogyps californianus Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Arizona at the Grand Canyon 2, 3, 4) Dick - Grand Canyon
Genus Sarcoramphus - 1 species
Vulture, King Sarcoramphus papa Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Eric Kilby - Washington National Zoo
Genus Vultur - 1 species
Condor, Andean Vultur gryphus Found: South America
Photographed by: Greg Hume
All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details. Dick Daniels, webmaster.