# Black Vulture (*Coragyps atratus*) The Black Vulture is a large bird with black feathers and a bald, wrinkled head. They help keep the environment clean by eating carrion, which is dead animals. You might see them soaring high in the sky! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 95 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** American Black Vulture, Common Black Vulture ![Black Vulture](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424639/objects/5911.jpg) ## Appearance The Black Vulture is entirely covered in glossy black feathers with a short, greyish-black featherless head. Its broad wings have distinctive silvery-white patches on the underside of the primary flight feathers, making it look different from other vultures in flight. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Cathartidae - **Genus:** Coragyps ## Interesting facts - These birds are amazing natural recyclers, helping keep ecosystems clean and healthy. - They often spread their wings to 'sunbathe,' warming up and killing bacteria on their feathers. - Unlike their cousins, Black Vultures have a poor sense of smell and mostly find food by sight. - When threatened, Black Vultures can vomit a smelly meal to lighten their load and deter predators! ## Special abilities - **Super Stomach:** Black Vultures have incredibly strong stomach acid that kills dangerous bacteria from decaying food, keeping them healthy. - **Keen Eye Scan:** Black Vultures can spot small carcasses from high in the sky, helping them find meals efficiently. - **Social Soaring:** Black Vultures often soar in groups, which helps them cover more ground and discover food quicker. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 58-74 cm - **Wingspan:** 133-160 cm - **Weight:** 1.6-2.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-25 years - **Speed:** 90 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 38-45 days ## Diet & Feeding These sharp-eyed birds are nature's clean-up crew, feasting mainly on dead animals! - **Primary Foods:** carrion, roadkill, eggs, small mammals - **Foraging Method:** Scavenging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Turkey Vulture (*Cathartes aura*) — Follows for food, as Turkey Vultures smell better. - **Eats:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — Scavenges on dead livestock, especially calves. - **Eats:** Virginia Opossum (*Didelphis virginiana*) — Often scavenges roadkill and other carcasses. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Enjoy watching Black Vultures from a safe distance and never try to touch or feed them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Vulture? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Black Vulture? 58-74 cm ### What is Black Vulture's wingspan? 133-160 cm ### How much does Black Vulture weigh? 1.6-2.2 kg ### How long does Black Vulture live? 10-25 years ### How fast can Black Vulture move? 90 km/h ### What does Black Vulture eat? These sharp-eyed birds are nature's clean-up crew, feasting mainly on dead animals! ### Where is Black Vulture usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [American Baptist College](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/american-baptist-college) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Batesville East Main Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/batesville-east-main-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Belltown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belltown-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Brattleboro Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brattleboro-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Chambers County Courthouse Square Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chambers-county-courthouse-square-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District [View all places to see Black Vulture](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-vulture) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Black Vulture: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-vulture)