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Sarcoramphus papa
The King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, though some believe that William Bartram's Painted Vulture of Florida may be of this species. It is the only surviving member of the genus Sarcoramphus, although fossil members are known. Excluding the two species of condors, the King Vulture is the largest of the New World vultures. Its overall length ranges from 67–81 centimeters (27–32 in) and its wingspan is 1.2–2 meters (4–6.6 ft). Its weight ranges from 2.7–4.5 kilograms (6–10 lb). The King Vulture's closest living relative is the Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus.
The King Vulture primarily inhabits undisturbed tropical lowland forests as well as savannas and grasslands with these forests nearby. It is often seen near swamps or marshy places in the forests.
spotted in an enclosure in a kind of zoo in Banos, Ecuador! There are two theories on how the King Vulture earned the "King" part of its common name. The first is that the name is a reference to its habit of displacing smaller vultures from a carcass and eating its fill while they wait. An alternative theory reports that the name is derived from Mayan legends, in which the bird was a king who served as a messenger between humans and the gods. This bird was also known as the "White Crow" by the Spanish in Paraguay. It was called cozcacuauhtli in Nahuatl, derived from cozcatl "collar" and cuauhtli "bird of prey". SOURCE: Wikipedia
anyone know what is the bald bit in the front? Is it meant to be like that, or have the feathers just been pulled out?
I agree with Goody, this is a King Vulture! What an amazing species, for a vulture it's actually quite the attractive animal! Great spotting, I would love to get the chance to see these in the wild.
A face that could launch a thousand ships. Very nice colors, that's what we call in the Philippines a PINTAKASI beauty.
No problem Pam! I wondered if it was maybe a centre for injured wildlife. Brilliant photos, but what a peculiar looking bird!
sorry Viv, I forgot to make a note of where I saw it. They had a small zoo in Banos, Ecuador where they had specimens of the local birds and animals. I saw it there...
When I saw the spotting I thought the first image was someone in fancy dress, until I enlarged it. How weird! It looks like a cartoon character in the last image. These are obviously in captivity, but for what reason?
Spotted on Jul 19, 2011
Submitted on May 16, 2012
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